A Glitch in Time
by ToonQueen
Summary: TF:A. A time mishap happens to the Autobot team. They must fight to go back to their own time and stop a dark future from happening. Whole TFA 'bot cast in the story, including some characters and lore from other TF universes.
1. Chapter 1

This is based on a dream I had, so the chapters may get kinda weird and very out of character as they go along. I don't want to "change it to make sense" from what my original dream was, because, it would lose... the feeling. The final chapter will be my own conclusion though, since the dream didn't finish.

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The leader bot lifted his head after his name was called a second time. He had been down in this quarters taking a badly needed power down. His right eye came online, followed by his left that would only partly come online, but the bot had become used to that.

"One of our scouts saw a portal open. They saw the seeker and Swindle. The theories are true!" the bot heard Wheeljack's excited voice over his built in com. The woken bot's tiredness went away at the news. He swiftly got out of his berth and started heading to the bridge of his ship. He kept his com conversation open with Wheeljack.

"Are Optimus and the others with them? Did they come through the portal too?" the bot asked with new energy.

"I'm not positive yet, we haven't had a confirmation on vis- Oh, there they are! They just opened fire on Swindle. The seeker isn't making any attack," Wheeljack spoke as though the action was unfolding right in front of him.

"I don't think the clone will attack the Autobots there. According to Starscream, Skywarp was taken against his will," replied the leader bot. A moment of static came over his com as he entered the bridge. With just hand gestures of pointing forward the crew knew to head to where Wheeljack was sending coordinates of.

"My receptors are ringing, are you two talking about me?" a shrill bot's voice said in his normal sly tone. Even though the old seeker was allowed on certain Autobot frequencies he always made his presence known like he had just freshly hacked it.

"Starscream! What is your location?" the leader bot asked him commandingly.

"You may be the boss bot over there but you have NO command over me. Remember that," Scream said in response to the leader bot's demanding tone. Wheeljack could be heard making an exasperated noise, like he had heard this argument a million times before. Starscream paused and then finally spoke. "My location is close enough to see the Key in Prowl's hand. They are just as they left us."

"Can you please help them out with Swindle, we are coming as soon as we can," the leader was using a calmer tone with the old seeker, which would get better results than bossing him around. Starcream's voice darkened, wanting revenge of his own on the bot that took Skywarp away.

"With pleasure," as the seeker's com then turned off.

"I don't care how many stellar cycles he's been working with us, he still creeps me out!" said Wheeljack over the com once Starscream was gone.

"I trust him ever since he became unaffiliated. I know he won't betray us to Megatron," replied the leader bot.

"But who's to say he doesn't want your job?" Wheeljack speculated. The boss bot laughed with a twinge of sadness.

"He's seen the scars on my frame, he won't be wanting my job for a very long time," the leader bot half smirked as he saw the fight in the distance from the bridge.

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"Focus your firing on Swindle. The seeker doesn't seem interested in being a part of the fight." Optimus said with his battle mask on. The portal they had been sucked in with Swindle left them in the middle of space, nothing looked familiar to the Prime.

"But I think THAT seeker wants to be a part of the fight," Bulkhead said as he pointed out Starscream rushing towards them from behind Swindle. At first Ratchet was about to use his magnets to stop the Decepticon, but then saw the trajectory was aimed to hit Swindle. The scaredy seeker backed up from the fighting even more when he saw his creator approaching. He saw the crazed anger in Starscream's optics.

Skywarp knew his creator was his ally, but even he was scared of him at the moment. The young clone's optics then noticed something the Autobots had yet to. Starscream's right arm was white on the upper part, black on the lower, and then ending in white fingers. It was made exactly like a seekers but a mismatched color to the rest of him. It was a replacement for an arm lost. As Starscream slammed into Swindle his clone also noticed the jet bot seemed older somehow.

Optimus seemed surprised by Starscream's entrance and only thought one thing, 'He's taking out a fellow Decepticon so he alone can get the Key."

"Prowl, Bulkhead, get out of here with the Key, we'll hold them off." commanded Optimus. The ninja bot took in his surroundings.

"But we don't even know where we are," replied Prowl, uncertain of his leader's order.

"We do know HERE is not the best place for the Key to be," Optimus replied with an annoyed tone as he glanced over at Swindle and Starscream fighting. Skywarp still watched bewildered.

"I believe back up is coming," said Ratchet as he saw a small Autobot armada ship. Before any of the Autobots could feel relief a shadow cast over them, blocking out the sun of a nearby solar system. It was a Decepticon command ship.

"Megatron," Optimus said under his vocals. The small Autobot ship pumped its speed faster than Optimus knew of any ship to go. In a moment it was in front of his team between them and the Swindle fight.

"Everyone get in!" the leader bot owning the ship said over the Autobots' frequencies. Ratchet and the two young bots didn't need to be asked twice. They quickly went into the side door that opened for them. Optimus watched as Swindle used a electric field to knock Starscream off. He prepared to hold back Swindle while his team boarded the Autobot ship. Optimus could see a bot get off the side from the corner of his optics. The Decepticon command ship deployed three figures that would soon meet the group.

Starscream shook his head to realign his scrambled sensors. He saw his clone just watching him.

"Don't just float there, HELP!" Starscream yelled at the younger bot.

"We're in the future, aren't we?" Skywarp said in his usual paranoid voice.

"Well, I'm glad you have some of my intelligence. Now help me get the device from Swindle before Megatron gets here!" the old seeker commanded back.

The leader bot had come off the Autobot ship and shot arm blasters at Swindle while approaching Optimus' side. The fire truck bot charged up his axe and made the staff on it longer to engage Swindle in fighting again. Optimus kept focused on Swindle but looked at the bot backing him up from the corner of his optics. The bot was smaller than him, but still not someone to underestimate. Thought his alt form was not any type of flying vehicle, the leader bot had the modification of thrusters on his feet. Optimus was about to see how useful they were in space combat. Another noticeable thing about the bot was his left optic didn't look fully functional. While it glowed light blue in the center, it faded to black around the edges. The strange Autobot's color was that Optimus recognized, but he did not have the luxury to think much longer about those details.

The leader bot fired on Swindle again. When the Decepticon fired back the attacking Autobot used his heel thrusters to quickly move out of the way. Swindle saw the Decepticon ship and planed his exit. He grabbed Skywarp's upper arm and began to drag the seeker with him.

The scaredy seeker built up some courage and blasted the merchant bot with his free hand. With eyes half closed in fear he had it Swindle perfectly in the knee. The seeker then used his warping ability to appear behind Starscream. Swindle on the other hand moved towards the incoming Decepticons, ignoring the pain from his knee.

"We need to get the device from him!" Starscream growled at the leader bot. Optimus followed behind the boss bot as he pursued Swindle, getting dangerously close to the other Decepticons. Optimus recognized two of them to be Lugnut and Blitzwing. The third one he had never seen before. The fire truck bot knew four Decepticons verses two autobots was not going to be a winning fight.

"Retreat for now!" yelled Optimus. He knew the other bot was some form of leader like himself, but he felt the urge to take over. Starscream regained his senses and fired on Swindle from afar, his seeker clone shivering behind him.

"You won't be able to get back home without the device!" the strange leader bot retorted back. Starscream's blasts missed Swindle and instead almost hit the leader in in the shoulder. The jet bot winced at what damage that would cause to their uneasy alliance if it had hit the wrong bot. He also realized how it would ruin his cause if the Autobot leader was killed in this instant.

"Skywarp, grab those slagging idiot Autobots and warp them back to the Autobot ship," commanded Starscream, using a colorful word he learned back from his days on earth.

"Autobot ship?" the young bot replied unsurely, wondering why his creator was working with those scary Autobots.

"JUST DO IT," replied Starscream. He noticed that Optimus was ready to back up the leader bot it he had to, but his body language said he did not want to engage four Decepticons in battle. Skywarp did as he was told, as Starscream headed to the door of the Autobot ship. The leader bot audio literally growled at being pulled and moved away.

"You don't understand what you are doing! THEY HAVE TO BE SENT BACK!!!" the leader bot yelled at a peak that would make a Deception proud. Skywarp optics went wide in fright at the bot's response but still moved him into the Autobot ship. Optimus willingly went inside the ship as Starscream approached. He made no move to stop Starscream, as he was obviously working with these Autobots. As the Autobot ship door closed Skywarp noticed Starscream's arm wasn't just any replacement arm.

"Thats... Ramjet's arm," the scaredy seeker wibbled as he spoke those words. Starscream replied in a plain 'matter of fact' tone.

"He said I could have it," the seeker leader replied coldly. When the Autobot ship door was closed Skywarp let go of the ship leader's arm. Optimus then recognized the bot by the expression on his face. Optimus remembered being sucked into a portal by Swindle moments ago. He remembered the looks on Sari and Bee's faces as they were left behind.

The fire truck bot looked at the smaller leader beside him bellowing out orders to his crew to get the ship moving as fast as it could out of here. The bot was bright yellow. The face plate and joints that Optimus would remember to be gray were black. Instead of a windshield on his chest, glass windows sat at the sides of his torso. His body showed more scratches to it than Ratchet could ever have from the Great War. The yellow leader had an ornate head structure instead of his horns. What would be his back seat car doors were tucked back on his back, sitting more like an insects wings. Despite the major changes it was his expression of loss Optimus recognized.

"Bumb-" Optimus started to say the name of the bot they had left behind but was interrupted. The yellow bot quickly interjected.

"No," he replied firmly. The 'no' said there was more than just a name and appearance that had changed. He looked at Optimus, still holding a grudge at being held back from the Decepticons. "I'm Goldbug Prime, leader of the Autobot resistance," the boss bot paused half a minute before adding, "Welcome to four hundred stellar cycles in the future."


	2. Chapter 2

Prowl and Bulkhead looked uneasy at Starscream and Skywarp. Bulkhead gave Optimus a, 'shouldn't we be... attacking him?' look. Optimus gave a small shake no as he turned his attention back on Goldbug. Starscream however noticed the silent exchange and smirked. The old seeker's body language gave off his feeling of superiority in a ship filled with Autobots. Even with supposed allies he was still the wolf among sheep. Starscream was about to open his mouth with a sarcastic comment. However, his clone hugging around his waist tight broke his aura of dominance.

"You idiot! Let go of me!," Starscream pushed the younger seeker face away from him. Skywarp clinged to him like a scared child.

"We- we're on an Autobot ship!" the younger seeker cried, making any dark ambiance Starscream had flutter away. Goldbug half smiled at the scene and turned back to Optimus.

"Walk with me, we need to talk," Goldbug Prime said to Optimus as he turned down the nearest hallway. "You can fill in the others later."

"Is Starsc-," Optimus started to ask if it was fine to leave him and Skywarp in the docking bay.

"Its fine. We have an alliance with him and his," Goldbug paused like he didn't take the title seriously, "Superiorns, or Superiorions... he changes it every megacycle. But that's not important. Our first objective is to get you and the crew back to your time."

"What exactly happened? We went to confront Swindle after he... well, kidnapped you." Optimus faded off as he explained what Goldbug had seen, being that he was there. The truck bot looked at how Bumblebee changed physically. He had already noticed the horns missing, but took in the fact the yellow bot's head gear looked like an earth spartan helmet. It lacked the nose guard, but defiantly had the plates that curved down around Goldbug's cheeks. Instead of having the yellow armor that outlined down his face he had just a chin guard. It looked much like Blurr's but yellow.

"Swindle created a time device that he needed Skywarp's warping ability for it to work. When the device was turned on and he tried to warp away, that is what causes the portal. We're pretty certain Swindle will sell Megatron the device to change history so there is no Autobots at all. He needs Skywarp for it to work however... and we need the device to get you bots home," Goldbug Prime explained as abridged as he could.

"Who has control of Cybertron?" asked Optimus. It was the first question that would come on any academy bot's processors.

"Decepticons.... but this doesn't matter. If we get you back to your time this won't happen at all," Goldbug stated as the end of the hall reached a window gazing down at the space below. "They will be looking for us. They need Skywarp to time travel."

"Then, what do we need to do?" asked Optimus, acknowledging Goldbug was the leader in this situation.

"We keep out of their reach until we come up with a plan. I want them to come to us... and after that I got nothing," Goldbug's sentence ended in a younger tone he had not used since he was Bumblebee.

"I see," replied Optimus while resting his hand contemplatively on his chin. The taller Prime took in the information and ran it across his processors.

"Here is my personal line if you need to contact me," Goldbug touched his own com and within a moment Optimus' com beeped with the received address. "You should get the Key from Prowl. You should carry it incase anything happens," Goldbug said almost cryptically. It was as though he had a prophesy of things to come. Since the Key was mentioned, Optimus took the opportunity to ask about one more thing.

"Sari?" the red and blue bot was going to word the question as a sentence but only the girl's name stumbled out. She was part bot so there was a possibility she would have lived four hundred years. Goldbug let out a sigh that trailed bad news.

"She's gone.... over two hundred stellar cycles ago," replied Goldbug as he looked down, away from the window.

"I'm sorry....," faded Optimus. The speed bot's optics softened as he looked back out the window, resting his arm on the glass above his head. He gazed out into space, ignoring the reflection of his face in the glass. The blue dot of light in Goldbug's damaged eye tried to spread out more from its fixed spot as he spoke.

"You should of seen her. She was amazing. Her strategies always had us one step ahead of the Decepticons," Goldbug paused a moment, looking out at a sun in the distance, "Kind of funny the second in command of the Autobots was a human.....sort of," he added. Optimus was left to speculate if when Sari was older there was something between Bumblebee and her. He felt he was reading too much into Goldbug's words.

"I'll return to the dock and inform the others of what is going on, unless you want to tell them?" asked Optimus. He had noticed how quick Goldbug was to avoid the others.

"No, I don't want to talk to them right now," replied Goldbug. The fire truck bot raised an optic brow at the strange response. Goldbug opened his mouth to say more but was interrupted by a voice on his com.

"Sir, Starscream is requesting the best guest room that this 'decrepit ship' has to offer since it looks like he may be 'forced' to stay here a megacycle," said the voice of a young bot.

"Place him in one of the grunt bunks, the 'best' one you can find," replied Goldbug. Optimus didn't know if he should show amusement over the exchange he was overhearing. There was a silence over the com a moment and then a response.

"He says that he has accessed the schematics of this ship. He knows there is an ambassador's guest room available," the young bot replied. Goldbug made an annoyed noise and turned away from the window. In Goldbug's turn Optimus noticed thrusters much like the ones Sari had given him in the past. They were smaller and partly hidden by the yellow bot's car door 'wings'.

"Rrrrrrr... that arrogant - FINE, but say he has to share it with his clone. He's not getting a separate room," replied Goldbug. A frustrated noise expelled from his his audio. "Go back to the dock. I'll have someone lead you to rooms. You'll probably have to stay in what would be considered grunt quarters. We don't have much space here," explained Goldbug.

"I understand," replied Optimus as he headed to where he was ordered. He found it odd how easily he took orders from a bot he was just rescuing in the past moments ago. Goldbug Prime was not Bumblebee however. The yellow bot had a commanding air about him. The yellow bot had not become a leader because of being trained at the academy. Rather, he had earned it by decades of trial and error.

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The young half organic bot led Starscream and his clone to the room requested. While the old seeker was allied with the Autobots, he had never been this deep in their main ship before. This was also the first time Starscream had seen an organic bot in Goldbug's ranks. Skywarp stayed close behind his creator. Starscream took in every nook and cranny of the area as he was being lead down the hall. The older seeker then looked to the young bot leading them.

"You must have been with The Elite.... why did you leave them for this?" Starscream voiced gave way that he was disgusted by his meager surroundings.

"Huh?" the organic yellow bot was confused be the old seeker's question. He was more focused on just leading the former Decepticon to his room and then getting out of there.

"You were an 'Elite,' weren't you? Only Decepticons and 'The Elite' have experimented with half organic bots," explained Starscream in a tone that would make any bot feel stupid. The knowledge he was sharing would be something anyone should know.

"Oh... yeah... I was," replied the organic mech. His form was obviously that of an Earth cheetah.

"Then why did you leave? The Elite are more powerful and they have hideouts on Cybertron itself," questioned Starscream again. He was fishing for information in frustration. Goldbug had not shared any information with him on The Elite. What he said to the young bot was all he knew.

"Because Goldbug is right?" the young but ended in a question. He did not question Goldbug, but what Starscream was expecting him to say. He knew there was some things Goldbug didn't want to share. The organic bot was relieved when they finally came to the door of the guest quarters. He hoped to run off and avoid the conversation going further.

"Hmph. Autobots and your blind trust in your leaders," muttered Starscream, "Tell me.. is the leader of The Elite the same bot that started the idiotic faction?"

"Ah... here's your room! I have to show the others to their room now.... I better go!" with that the organic speed bot zoomed off on his feet wheels.

"Great," the seeker followed the single monotone word with a sigh, "Skywarp! Get in there!" Starscream commanded as he shoved the younger seeker out from behind him and into the guest room.

"Eek!" Skywarp reacted to the shove and found himself alone in the room. His creator was busy spying down the hallway. The Autobots seemed to have left him completely alone. He could take this opportunity to explore what they had. It was strange, since he was somewhat loyal to their alliance. The information gathered wouldn't be used against the Autobots. At the same time he did not like things being kept from him. Old habits die hard.

Starscream sighed as he could hear Skywarp whining like an Earth puppy through the door. As he was concluding that leaving the bot for ten minutes would not hurt him, the seeker's com then beeped. Primus seemed against him searching the ship today. The old seeker stepped into the guest room and the automatic door shut behind him. Skywarp jumped at the sound of the door closing but saw it was Starscream that had entered.

"What is it?!?!?!" growled Starscream into his communicator. He expected on of his troops to be asking where he had disappeared to. Instead he was surprised by the voice on the other line.

"Vhere iz Lugnut?" Blitzwing's Icy voice said at the softest tone his audio's could allow.

"What in the pit are you doing calling me?!" growled Starscream. He didn't want any contact with the Decepticons, especially while on an Autobot ship. The Autobots could trace it and question their truce. "Why would I know where that slagging oaf would be?!?!"

Icy paused on the line. The triple changer did not want to give the trader too much information. It was hard enough to convince Hothead to let them make the call in the first place. However, Random had the least loyalties to the Decepticons and quickly took over.

"Megatron waz zo uuuupset when yah all got away from uz! He vent crazy like he doez and banizhed Lugnut!" explained the spastic Random voice.

"Banished? Lugnut?" Starscream questioned both words. "The stupid bot is his most blindly loyal subject. And just banished? What happened to his 'kill all traders?' Starscream waited for a response but first heard Hothead yelling.

"Vhy did yah tell him zat?!?! HE DOEZN'T NEED TO KNOV VAT!!!!" Blitzwing's Hothead yelled. The red faced personality always seemed the most loyal to Megatron.

"Quiet! You don't vant uz to get caught, do you?" Icy replied smoothly. "Vhat iz done iz done. Ja, he haz only been banizhing zo called traitorz ever zince the lazt time you betrayed him."

"Vhat vas it? The vifth or zeventh time? I've lost count!" Random laughed as quietly as the noisy personality could.

"How is this my problem?" The old seeker replied to the banter annoyed. Thankfully Icy responded next.

"Uzually banizhed or traitorouz Decepticons join your.... Superionz..." Icy said back with a slight annoyed tone of his own. He was disgusted he had to contact a traitor like Starscream, but he was the only bot that could know Lugnut's whereabouts.

"Its Superiorions!" growled Starcream. "And no he hasn't. Even if he did why should I tell you?" Starscream heard the whirl over the com as Blitzwing's faces switched. Random's wavery voice was heard next. Instead of his normal spastic tone he replied with much concern.

"Ve're vorried.... vat he might of permanently offlined himzelf," Random sad unusually mellow. Another whirl was heard.

"That zlagging dummkopf took his loyalty to Megatron very zeriouzly," added Hothead with unneeded anger. Starscream was about to be finished with the triple changer but then saw this as an opportunity. Megatron's most loyal officer had been banished, while now his third in command was communicating with him, the Superiorion leader. This would prove to be an way to recruit more on his side once rumors were spread.

"He was just banished nanoclicks ago. Don't fret yet. Give it a megacycle. If I hear of anything I'll let you know," Starscream's voice mirrored Blitzwing's concern. Skywarp decided to be a little brave and leave his creator's shadow to cautiously explore the room.

"I am zending you hiz personal frequenzy. Perhaps you can contact him? If I do zo Megatron'z intel botz could trace it," explained Icy. He became suddenly giving of information, probably influenced by Random's concern. Starscream grinned wide. This was better than he could imagine. The seeker then processed what the multi bot had said.

"Wait, what are you doing calling me then?" the old seeker grumbled. He hoped the german accented bot was not stupid enough to get himself in trouble.

"Yah just come up az an unaffiliated. If vey find out ve'll just say ve vere talking to Lockdovn," Random said followed by a giggle. Starscream erged at being reminded that Superiorions was in name only. They were not a format. Part of his truce with the Autobots was for Wheeljack to make them a custom format. It was only a matter of time before he would be recognized.

"I received the frequency. I will call him. You call me the next time you can, since Megatron's intel bots sound like a problem," Starscream replied.

"OH! Goody goody gumdropz! I knew you would help us! Danke Danke!" Random chirped happily and changed to Icy.

"Let it be knovn that vis doez not mean ve are betraying the Decepticonz. Ve are juzt vorried about our friend," Icy cleared up anything the old seeker was thinking.

"Friend. Right," Starscream replied as he then disconnected from Blitzwing.

"So.... so.... the future huh?" Skywarp carefully questioned, "But it will be fixed once the Autobots and I go back to the past?"

"Ha ha.... not quite," replied Starscream with a smirk. The former Decepticon had a plan on his mind.

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"Sorrysorrysorry that took so long," the young organic bot apologized. "He wouldn't stop talking."

"Ha, now that sounds like the Starscream we know," replied Ratchet. He decided not to comment on the different appearance of the young speed bot. This was the future, and there would be many things different. It seemed organic bots were now a more common thing, and not just mistakes.

"I've informed my team of what is going on. We could use some R and R before more action happens," stated Optimus, knowing that the bot was going to lead them to bunks.

"You mean more calamities happen," added Bulkhead, seemingly to replace Bumblebee as the bot to make wise cracking comments. Optimus gripped the Key tighter in his hand at Bulkhead's comment.

"Goldbug sounded certain that getting us back would prevent a Decepticon controlled Cybertron," replied the fire truck bot as he followed the young organic bot leading them, "What is your name?"

"Oh, uh Cheetor!" the young bot smiled. His attention never seemed one hundred percent there, as though his mind was going a mile a minute.

"It seems hard to believe that the four of us will prevent the Decepticons from taking over Cybertron," Prowl said in his normal observing way.

"I'm sure there is more to it than that," replied Optimus. Prowl hoped this would not lead to another 'cogs' speech. Luckily Cheetor turned around and still moved towards the bunk while wheeling backward on his feet. What Cheetor was about to say would catch Optimus Prime by surprise.

"Well actually, Goldbug is certain that you'ld be the leader of all the Autobots if you were there when the Elite Guard was wiped out," the young bot spoke at a speed slower than Blurr, but faster than the Bumblebee they knew. What he said was clearly understood by the party. "I mean, Goldbug is a great leader now, but back then there was some crucial choices he thought you would of made better."

"What?!?" Optimus's optics widened as he stopped in place walking. "The whole Elite Guard?!?"

"Well, not the whole... youknowwhatIshouldn'tbetalking. Lets go to to your bunks a little faster now..." Cheetor found himself having the same nervousness he had with the former Decepticon moments before as he hurried down the hall.

As the group walked quickly behind the organic bot Ratchet spied what would normally be the Prime's room on this small armada ship. Instead it had been turned into a large makeshift med room. This conversion made sense to the old bot, since a small ship like this only had a very small med bay. Ratchet was pretty certain that the Autobots in this time were fighting some form of guerrilla warfare with the Decepticons, and a larger med room would be needed. He tried not to fall behind while curiosity got the best of him. As the party cleared past the med bay a cry voice familiar to Ratchet was heard.

"Ratcheeeeeeeeeet!" came a fumbling cry as the med bot walked by the makeshift med bay. The old med bot found himself almost jumped by the junk bot. The force of the bot's hug pinned Ratchet against the wall.

"Hello.... Wreck-Gar....," Ratchet said as monotone as he could while pinned in the hug. He was surprised Wreck-Gar was alive but curbed his enthusiasm. It was not hard for him to do. Wreck-Gar's physical body had changed a lot in four hundred years but Ratchet would always recognize his audio.

"I'm the ship's med bot! Aren't you proud?" asked Wreck-Gar He waited expectantly for an answer. Ratchet noticed his team was stopped and watching the scene unfold.

"Ah, yeah kid. sure," Ratchet with a confused look on his interface and optics. He had only know the kid for a few hours, but Wreck-Gar's reaction to him was like they had been old friends.

"Did you miss me I was in the lake! Goldbug found me when the Decepticons were draining it," explained Wreck-Gar with Ratchet still hugged close to him. The old bot didn't reciprocate the hug but Wreck-Gar didn't mind. "Did you meet Goldbug Prime? he's so much like that yellow bot that you were friends with!"

"Uh... look- I'll come by later and talk more," said Ratchet to his own surprise. Wreck-Gar pouted at not getting attention right away, but then smiled happily again. He let the old bot out of the hug. Ratchet was then able to see all of Wreck-Gar's new form. He was still his unmistakable gray, red, and orange. He lacked his trash bin. While his head was still a clunky box his body seemed more built for fighting than Ratchet last remembered. In the place of his dumpster on the back was an orange and red panel that sat like a large backpack. It was probably the roof to his vehicle mode.

"Okay," Wreck-Gar replied cheerfully. Ratchet muttered as his team started heading to the bunks again. The old med bot followed.

"Here we are!" smiled Cheetor as he directed them to an empty grunt bunk. The space was small with bunk berths bolted to either sides of the room. The space between the bunks was a very tight squeeze for Bulkhead.

"Wow, Its like the bunks back at Autoboot camp. I call for top bunk!" called Bulkhead as he flopped on one of the upper bunks. The berth then dented inward at his weight, "Oops."

"Sorry about the space... or the lack there of," Cheetor apologized while looking at Optimus. "We're using an armada scout as a command ship, so space is tight. Even our leader shares a grunt buck with two officers," explained the organic bot.

"No need to apologize. We understand," replied Optimus.

"Uh, if you bots need anything you can call me," the young organic bot rubbed the back of his head nervously," I'm kinda the cabin boy around here, aheh...." Cheetor used an earth term but the other Autobots understood what he met. Optimus nodded acknowledging what the speed bot had said.

"You're dismissed...," Optimus added as Cheetor seemed to pause and stand in the doorway awkwardly. He seemed to have not heard the Prime speak to him right away.

"Oh, yesh! Um, have nice status naps!" stumbled out Cheetor as he zoomed away.

"That was.....interesting," spoke Prowl softly as he sat on the bunk below Bulkhead. Since the green bot had already bent down the upper bunk, Prowl knew he was the only bot able to fit on the lower one now.

"Which part? Starscream working with the Autobots? The resistance lead by Bumblebee? Or the fact all the Elite apparently get wiped out?" Ratchet expelled all he had taken in.

"Actually, I'm not surprised Bumblebee is the leader," stated Optimus, "I believe all three of you young bots have the potential for leadership."

"Awh, thanks boss bot!" smiled Bulkhead as he looked over the the edge of his upper bunk and down at Optimus.

"Don't you find it strange that he didn't want to talk to all of us" questioned Prowl. "He was very quick to take you aside alone."

"I think he's been through a lot," Optimus quickly sided with Goldbug. "Remember, back in our time he's the only Autobot on Earth at the moment."

"He can always call the Elite Guard for help," suggested Bulkhead.

"But then- Cheetor said the Elite Guard was wiped out...." faded Ratchet. The med bot was glad this would all go away once they went home.

"Lets not speculate anything. This will all be fixed when we return, hopefully soon," said Optimus as he hoped for the best. Prowl was still uncertain. Something did not feel right to the ninja bot.

"I'll stay online while the rest of you powerdown," stated Prowl as he then stood up. He was careful not to bump his head on the dented bunk about him.

"We ALL need our rest Prowl. We don't know what to expect," replied Optimus in his commanding voice.

"All the more reason to stay alert," replied Prowl. "I could call Cheetor back and see if he could give me a tour of the ship."

"Thats not necessary. Goldbug is not the enemy," Optimus said with his optics narrowing at Prowl. It bothered the fire truck that Prowl would question Bumblebee's motives. The two other bots in the room decided it would be wise to stay out of this argument.

"With all due respect, we can't ju-" the ship gave a sudden shake before Prowl could finish his words. It was not the shake of being hit, but a sudden turn and speed up. Optimus Prime put his com onto Goldbug's personal line.

"What was that?" asked Optimus Prime as he stepped out of the bunk room and into the hall.

"That was us avoiding a conflict," answered Goldbug Prime over the com.

"Decepticons?" asked Prowl who had followed Optimus. Goldbug did not hear his question. From the hallway window both Prowl and Optimus saw a ship in the distance trying to pursue. Though it was far away, it was clearly an Elite Guard command ship. The stars around them quickly became a blur from the speed as the ship then disappeared from sight.

"Is it Decepticons?" Optimus repeated Prowl's question as though he had not seen the Elite Guard ship. The fire truck looked to the ninja as he asked Goldbug the question. This was the moment of truth for them.

"Just as bad," was Goldbug's evading response. He was telling the truth but also wanted to avoid telling m ore.

"Call for me if anything else happens. I want to be any help I can," offered Optimus.

"Sure thing!" Goldbug replied in his at east Bumblebee tone before closing off the call.

"See? There is something more going on here!" Prowl said accusingly.

"He didn't lie...er..exactly," defended Optimus.

"He's working with a Decepticon and an Elite Guard ship attacked us," the ninja bot spoke all the evidence that made him even more suspicious.

"I know Goldbug is not the bad guy here. He did not ask for the Key. His only want is to have us go back to the past," replied Optimus calmly. He did always listen to Prowl's input. The black and gold bot was the closest thing he had to a second in command. If Optimus' repair crew had been an official battle team Prowl would hold the title. The red and blue bot let out a sigh. "I will be more cautious, but I am not going to distrust Bumblebee," the truck bot seemed to switch between the names Goldbug and Bumblebee often.

"That is just it, he's not Bumblebee. Four hundred stellar cycles have gone by," Prowl repeated information Optimus knew, but apparently needed to be drilled into his helmet again.

"We need to just hold tight for now. I will talk to him again," Optimus planned another face to face with the speed bot leader.

-----------

Goldbug Prime left the bridge after the conflict. He headed back to his bunk while he could. He knew it would be one calamity after another now that the past Autobots were on his ship. 'My ship,' Goldbug thought to himself with a light yet sad smile. As he walked to his room he extended his hand and gently stroked against the hallway wall.

There had been several times the ship had jumped into speed without anyone pressing a button. This first time it happened there was no trouble to be seen. Only after the speed jump did the sensors show a delayed response to picking up cloaked Decepticon ships. Goldbug's first thought was the life the ship's energy source contained.

The room Starscream had demanded to have was empty for a reason. There was a rumor among the troops that the room was haunted. Though the Autobots did not have the same concept of ghosts as humans did, there was still not something right. Some bots did believe that energy remnants of a destroyed spark could leave some sentient interaction in the immediate area.

Only Goldbug an a few other bots on the ship knew that these two things had something in common. While it wasn't a destroyed spark causing the disturbances, it was the room below the Ambassador's guest room that was causing the trouble. An Autobot's spark rested in the ships power chamber.

The leader bot thought back to old memories in his processor. It was a struggle when the Elite Guard was first taken out. The lack of the Key among other things became too much. When he saw his friend's destroyed body and the spark it contained fading inside of it, he had to do something. The small ship was never made to transform or contain a bots spark, but the power core was the only way to keep him alive.

Goldbug had realized soon after the spark was put in that he had put his friend in a frozen prison. He imagined it might be like how Swindle was left when frozen by Slo-mo's device. Even worse, perhaps the spark would be like humans have people in comas or a vegetable state. In the early days he considered offlining the spark, to end what suffering he had cursed his friend with. He never had the heart to do it though.

And then the first time the ship jumped on its own, he knew. His friend was not able to talk or transform, but Goldbug knew he was there. As the leader bot entered the room the hand that had been gently running across the wall now ran his pointer finger up the doorway right before he entered.

The jumps were not enough proof for Goldbug . He had to be certain. One night stellar cycles ago leader bot went into the ambassador's guest room and opened the panel that would be right above his friend's spark. The large bundle of wires right beneath the panel was almost directly attached to the unseen bot spark below. If there was any way Goldbug's friend could directly speak to him, this was it.

"Please, if you are there, give me some sort of sign....," pleaded Goldbug. He knew he could not get a direct verbal answer. He gripped his hand around the bundle of wires. "How about, one shock for you are there, and two if you're not," said the yellow bot, not noticing the comedy of him giving an option to show the bot was not there. The dead silence and the coldness of the wires seemed to last forever. As Goldbug was about to give up and release the wires a strong vibration was felt through them. It wasn't a shock, but Goldbug realized that was a stupid thing to ask his friend to do in the first place. Since that day, the leader bot always knew that one of his best friends was still with him.

"Good night old buddy," smiled Goldbug as climbed up into his upper grunt berth. The battered yellow bot curled up and powerdowned, comforted by the fact Blurr would keep watch over him.

----------------

Soon after witnessing the Elite Guard ship Optimus and Prowl both received a simultaneous call on their coms. Prowl instantly recognized the smooth voice on the com.

"Hey cats, how are you too doin'?" said Jazz's voice over the com. It was his normal cheerful voice. It was the first thing Prowl had noticed. The ninja bot compared it to how Goldbug's sounded darker, like he was half a step away from being a Decepticon.

"Jazz, is that you?" asked Prowl before Optimus could. The black and gold bot was glad to finally be in contact with something familiar to him in this bleak future.

"Not exactly, name's Ultra Jazzimus now," the voice paused a moment. It was like he was waiting for the two bots to assume he was the one in the Elite Guard ship. "Goldbug has not been entirely truthful I can assume. I would like your whole team to meet with me if possible."


	3. Chapter 3

"Bulkhead, I want you to stay here while the rest of us go to meet Jazz," ordered Optimus. The large green bot seemed uncertain of his boss' plan.

"I don't know Optimus... are you sure you guys should be leaving in the first place? Can't we just ask Goldbug?" replied Bulkhead. Optimus sighed. The Prime did not like doing this as well, but he needed to confirm where the alliances laid.

"The young bot does have a point," Ratchet decided to give his opinion, "And we're going back to the past. What's going on now isn't any of our business, because it won't be happening."

"But what if we are stuck here Ratchet?" speculated the leader of the small team. One of the traits that made him an excellent Prime was his ability to look at all scenarios. "I want to trust Goldbug, that is why I'm having Bulkhead stay."

"I still don't agree with that," Prowl stated his feelings, "If it turns out Goldbug is the enemy, Bulkhead will be alone to fend for himself."

"Bulkhead," Optimus turned and looked directly up at the large bots optics, "Bumblebee was your- is your best friend, what do you think we should do?"

"I think we should ask him directly," Bulkhead repeated what he had said earlier. The green bot crossed his arms must like Ratchet would.

"I mean, what are your feelings about being left here?" Optimus cleared up his question. He had his mind already made up about the plan.

"I have no problem staying. I know Bumblebee would never become a Decepticon," replied Bulkhead in full confidence of his friend.

"Now with that settled.... how exactly are we going to get a shuttle and go where Jazz wanted us to meet," Ratchet brought up the problem the young bots seemed to forget.

"I have a plan," Prowl said with a slight smile on his face.

--------------

Starscream had given up on his need to search the ship, at least for now. The old Seeker never had expected Skywarp and the small team of Autobots to ever 'come back.' He had never believed the idiotic time travel theories. While he knew Swindle could come up with some clever machines, time travel was unlikely. Autobots were the type to believe such hopeful nonsense. Starscream on the other hand accepted Skywarp being gone. He was certain whatever device Swindle had made backfired and killed all that fell through it.

Starscream was glad his clone made it, yet did not know what do with Skywarp now that he was here. All his clones had 'grown up.' over the four hundred years. They had all branched out and were able to function on their own. Skywarp however was just as young as the day he disappeared.

"Where are the other Seekers?" Skywarp asked as though he could read Starscream's mind. The young clone looked at Starscream's white and red arm suspiciously.

"Ramjet....is no more," said Starscream as he flexed the fingers or Ramjet's hand. The old Seeker saw Skywarp's optics to go wide in terror. "I did not do it you dolt! It was Megatron! The liar bot helped me escape that glorified moron once."

"Oooooh," Skywarp decided not to ask the story behind the arm though. For a moment his processors flickered a thought. Would Starscream keep destroyed clones for spare parts? This idea worried Skywarp since he was a better match for Starscream's colors.

"Thundercracker is one of my generals," Starscream started to go off the list, "Sunstorm, 'usually' works with the Decepticons, sometimes wanders off, I've noticed. Little miss sugar thrusters ran off with that accursed bounty hunter for some unknown reason," Starscream then finished.

"Did anyone miss me?" asked Skywarp. The old Seeker raised an optic brow. The younger clone's question was strange.

"What do you mean?" Starscream looked at the violet Seeker. Skywarp twitched nervously.

"I mean, the yellow bot... he seems certain his friends will make the future better for them..." the young Seeker nervously paused, like he was scared to ask, "If I were here, how would it be different?"

Starscream actually thought about it a moment.

"I don't know what you would change, but I would hope you'd have joined my side. Despite your.... cowardly nature, with proper training of your abilities you would be a great fighter, even a general," Starscream honestly answered. The young Seeker sighed as thought he expected a better answer.

"So... so... I see, " sighed Skywarp with a pout on hi face. Starscream muttered since he as not used to complementing a clone. Yet he had to remember Skywarp was still young. Four hundred stellar cycles had not gone by for the clone.

"Don't think too hard about it. You need to powerdown and get some rest," grumbled Starscream.

"Powerdown? On an Autobot ship!?!?!" the young Seeker panicked at the thought. Even though he was with his creator he was still tense.

"Trust me, you have no need to worry about the Autobots," replied Starscream with his usual smirk.

---------------

"Goldbug! Wake up you old rust bucket," yelled Starscream over Prime's com. His voice was shrill as ever.

"Slag you, you're older than me by vorns and vorns," replied the yellow bot as his optics slowly came online. "It better be an emergency, It was in a really needed powerdown!"

"Sorry to interrupt your 'beauty sleep,' but we need to talk. Face to face. The current situation has me concerned," stated Starscream. Goldbug was compelled to do so since Starscream's voice was not demanding. It was a calm and straight forward request.

"Alright, I will be down there in a nanoclick," replied Goldbug Prime as he got out of his berth. He wheeled down on his feet down to the elevator. The yellow bot whispered a request jokingly to Blurr. "Couldn't you just spit him out?" Goldbug smirked lightly even though he knew his ship couldn't 'hear' him.

Starscream heard a knock on his door. The old Seeker looked to his clone sound asleep. Scream then vainly flicked a speck of space dust off his shoulder. He then allowed the automatic door open.

"Well, hello brave leader," said Starscream as earnestly as he could. Despite the attempt it still sounded sarcastic.

"What exactly is the problem Starscream?" asked Goldbug sharply. He yellow bot walked into the room and crossed his arms, annoyed at being interrupted.

"I am just concerned this 'fixing time' might wipe us both from existence," said Starscream with a slight worry. Goldbug raised an optic brow, not falling for Starscream's tone.

"I am sure you are concerned about 'both' of us?" replied Goldbug in a tone that let Starscream know he would fall for anything the Seeker said. Starscream on the other hand kept trying.

"Of course I am concerned about you. If we had not been on good terms when I was near death, I would not be alive at this moment," Starscream somewhat spoke the truth. He felt being honest about his self preservation would help the discussion along.

"But you wouldn't of died. We both know what," replied Goldbug as he looked up a moment at where Starscream had a piece of the all spark in his forehead.

"True, true, true... I guess you will be glad to go back to being a repair bot," Starscream said, trying to be manipulative in a different approach. Perhaps his loss of power would start the conversation going the way he wanted.

"Haha, did you think I WANTED to be leader of the Autobots? And I think I'll become a Prime again someday," stated Goldbug not underestimating his own skills. "Look Starscream, I can see where you are trying to get at. Optimus and the others WILL be sent back to their time."

Starscream narrowed his optics annoyed. When Goldbug's human companion died he thought it would be easier to manipulate the leader of the Autobots. The old Seeker did get away with some things in the last two hundred years. Still, Goldbug Prime knew when to draw the line.

Starscream had witnessed the red headed half-fleshbag get what she wanted from Goldbug in the past. Her manipulating was more endearing. She would get the car bot to bend down to her height. The woman would then stroke his thumb and lean in. She spoke as though she was telling him romantic words. 'But Honey Bee, this plan will work. The third team will keep the Decepticreeps from being able to follow group two's retreat.' She would then smile sweetly, her hand caressing up to the yellow bots palm. By then he would agree to anything she said.

Starscream knew that he couldn't make that work with Goldbug. Sari's 'manipulation' was through love and trust. Starscream was far from having that kind of power over Goldbug. The old Seeker did know a friend the yellow bot cared about. He would have to work indirectly through that.

"You're little hornet friend, pity he'll be a Decepticon once again," stated Starscream with is hands clasped in concern. He hoped he touched a circuit with that comment. "There's quite a chance in the new future he won't become an Autobot again."

"Thats none of your concern, he knows the risks. We've discussed it before," The leader bots answer had a cold tone to it. Starscream looked away a moment as to check on Skywarp stasis nap. His real reason for looking away was to hide his face a moment was so Goldbug could not see his smirk. Starscream had finally found doubt the leader had in his plan. He turned back to face his ally.

"Such a sacrifice on his part," Starscream started to gain momentum, "While some of your loyal know they might not exist, that buzzing bot knows he'll be alive, being a miserable Decepticon. A much worse fate indeed...."

"Slag you," Goldbug glared at Starscream. His damaged optic seemed to darken more. The leader bot then turned and left the room. The automatic door slammed as though reflecting Goldbug's mood. Since he was online anyhow, and too riled up to go back to sleep, the yellow bot headed down to the ship's lounge.

-----------------

"He was hesitant to give us a shuttle," commented Prowl. The team minus Bulkhead was already a distance away from the ship.

"That doesn't mean anything. He did still give it to us," replied Optimus. "We were not being 'held' on the ship. Besides, It sounded like Cheetor gave us the shuttle because Goldbug instructed him to give us anything we asked for."

"Its only a matter of time before he has to tell Goldbug," replied Prowl, "We shouldn't of left Bulkhead there."

"Give it a rest kid. I feel Optimus made the right choice," Ratchet spoke up. The old bot crossed his arms grumpily.

The team cam upon the asteroid that was mentioned in the coordinates Jazzimus had sent them. Optimus landed the shuttle as he noticed the Elite Guard command ship approaching. Six lesser ships all bearing the Elite Guard symbol flanked it. The main ship would be too large to land on the asteroid. Instead it parked beside it.

"I hope you are right about this Prowl. I'm starting to feel a little inadequate here," Optimus said to the view of the large ship and its fleet.

"I have a bad feeling in my gears about this too," added Ratchet as they watch the main ship let off Ultra Jazzimus, followed by six armored guards.

"Lets go meet them," Prowl said as though his friends words did not meet his audio receptors. The ninja bot came up to the ship's door and hit the button for it to open. Optimus slowly rose from the pilot chair and followed suit. Ratchet threw his hands in the air frustrated. He realized the two bots were still going to go despite the warning signs. He had to follow to keep the younger bots out of trouble.

Prowl stopped a moment to let Optimus Prime take lead. After all, he was the leader bot of the their team. As the three approached the Elite Guard ship, Ultra Jazzimus came into view. At first the bot looked as though he was black in color instead of his sports car white. As light reflected it showed his armor was actually a dark navy blue. Due to obvious upgrades he was now Ultra Magnus' height. Jazzimus' headgear also matched that of the former leader. While Jazzimus' optics were normal Autobot blue, some of his soldiers had a white glow. The Autobot Elite Guard symbol on Jazz and the other guards was white instead of red. Optimus' com recognized the format as Autobot, but something was off. It seemed there was an extra line of code to identify them as separate from Goldbug's Autobots.

"Thanks for meeting me guys," Jazzimus said in his casual voice the three bots were used to.. "I couldn't talk over com for long or Goldbug's minions would trace it."

"Its no problem," Optimus smiled slightly, hoping his betrayal of Goldbug would be worth any information obtained.

"Its great to see you Jazz...imus," Prowl corrected himself mid sentence, "Or would you prefer Ultra Jazzimus?"

"Hey, its fine. You cats can call me by my old name. It won't hurt anyone," smiled Jazzimus. He had a hammer much like Magnus' that he leaned on when he talked.

"What is it that you need to tell us about Goldbug?" asked Optimus, wanting to get to the point.

"For one, he's the 'self proclaimed' leader of the Autobots, probably learned that from his buddy Starscream," said Jazzimus, referring to how Starscream tried becoming leader of the Decepticons on many occasions.

"So you're saying you're the real leader... of the real Autobots?" Ratchet asked, wanting a direct answer.

"Yes, I carry Ultra Magnus' code," replied Jazzimus, "Don't get me wrong, Goldbug has his spark in the right place, but we had a bit of a 'falling out' many many solar cycles ago."

"He does want to send us back to the time we left. He believes it will change everything," spoke Optimus.

"There is more to do than that," the Ultra bot started to explain, "To really fix the problem we'd need to go further back than that. Do you have the time device?"

"No, we don't," Optimus said, neglecting to mention the Key was in his possession. Prowl then started to give more information. Optimus had an urge to stop his second in command from telling but held back. "How far back are you talking about?"

"Swindle has it on the Decepticon command ship," explained Prowl to his trusted friend. He interrupted Prime as though he had never heard the question. "He needs Skywarp to use the machine. Skywarp is on Goldbug's ship."

Ratchet raised an optic to Optimus as if to say, 'is it alright for the kid to be blabbing this?' The bots in front of them were Autobots based on his scanners. Yet, the old bot still received an odd vibe from them. It was that suspenseful sicking feeling he would feel when dealing with a patient moments before they succumbed to a full space barnacle infection. There was no sign of a virus on them, but the suspense kept gnawing like a dull ache. Ratchet knew in his old servos this was not going to end well.

"Not all hope is lost then," replied Jazzimus in a leader bot tone instead of his jive talk. Prowl was glad to see Jazz in this twisted future. Out of all the bots he knew it made better sense for his friend to be leader over Bumblebee. Jazz had always shown leader capabilities, even when trying to get Optimus and Sentinel to work together. It made perfect sense to Prowl that Bee was 'playing pretend.'

"I think its best if we go back to the time we left.... what were you thinking of?" asked Optimus again, curious by what Jazz meant.

"I was thinking of preventing the Great War so the Decepticon menace will never exist," stated Jazzimus with a moments look of obsession. It was a look Ratchet caught while the two younger bots missed it.

"What?!?! I don't think thats the best idea," Ratchet said with his optics open wide in surprise. Optimus shared the same expression. Prowl's face stayed the same while he took in the information.

"The Decepticons' plan to do the same to us if they get the ability first," replied Jazzimus in a normal tone.

"But we aren't the Decepticons. We don't take actions like that," replied Optimus. Ratchet's face tensed up, having a feeling Optimus' noble words would make the situation turn for the worse. Ultra Jazzimus still spoke calm and collected.

"Times have changed Optimus Prime. As the Decepticons become crueler we have to do the same as well, ya dig?" stated Jazzimus. Even Prowl had to admit to himself he did not like the sound of that. Jazzimus however changed the subject. His voice also changed back to his normal tone. "Where is Bulkhead? Did he not make it through the portal?"

"We left him on Goldbug's ship, to find out what he could from their leader," replied Optimus carefully.

"What? But I need all of you," stated Jazzimus. "No matter, you can give me the location of Goldbug's crib and we can retrieve him."

"Ah.... that isn't an option," replied Optimus, not liking how Jazzimus' processors were running.

"I hope you cats don't decide to take his side," stated Jazzimus still in his old familiar voice, "That square ain't the one thats right here."

"Jazz, we just need some time to sort out what is going on," Prowl calmly explained to his friend, hoping he was still the old sensible Jazz.

"What ya'll need is to be reformatted. Then you'ld understand what's going on," replied Jazzimus. The three Autobots knew that did not sound good. Without speaking Jazzimus directed the flanking guards with sharp hand and arm movements. The small team realized they had to get to their ship and get out of there as soon as they could.

----------------

As Goldbug entered the lounge it was hard not to spot Bulkhead by the large bay window. The green bot noticed the Prime from the corner off his optics.

"Its so beautiful here," spoke Bulkhead softly as he looked out to the stars. He then paused for Goldbug to reply. The leader bot didn't as he went to get a glass of energon from an open kitchen like area in the back of the lounge. Bulkhead then added a question to his statement," Where in space are we? Anywhere I'd know?"

For a moment Goldbug was silent as he walked up to the window. He stood by his friend and gazed at the stars beyond. He took a sip of his energon before speaking.

"We are in the outskirts of Earth's 'Milky Way' galaxy," replied Goldbug softly. He knew Bulkhead would put two and two together quickly. Though people would first see the big bot as slow and dumb he actually had a brilliant mind.

"So then... the time machine... landed us at the same area we had left our time from?" asked Bulkhead. Goldbug just nodded and then sipped his energon again. The next logical conclusion was the Earth was gone, destroyed. Bulkhead sighed as he realized this. He then thought back to what Optimus told him.

"Is that how Sari-" he was cut off as Goldbug answered.

"No. What happened to Earth was sometime after," Goldbug answers in an empty voice. The tone showed he did not want to talk about the subject. He took another sip of energon and stayed silent. Bulkhead decided it was best to be quiet as well. The two old friends looked out at space together. Goldbug's tone then changed to the Bumblebee his green friend was familiar with.

"I should have you paint a picture of me, to take back to my past self," Goldbug joked. Bulkhead smiled behind his already fixed grinning jaw.

"Man, I can't wait to tell you that you're a Prime in the future," said Bulkhead as he turned a bit to look at Goldbug. Goldbug looked out the window. The stars outside reflected little beads of light on his faceplate.

"Thats all you can tell me, okay?" he replied. Goldbug knew he didn't want his past self to know all he had been through.

"Yeah.... I kinda figured that," Bulkhead said as he looked out the window again as well. Goldbug half smiled.

"You might not even want to tell me that I'm a Prime. I was already full of myself as it is," Goldbug chuckled lightly. Bulkhead didn't know if he should agree with that or not and just chuckled lightly. Goldbug finished off his small glass of energon and went to put its container in the kitchen.

"Can I ask you how you became leader of the Autobots?" questioned Bulkhead. He was curious how his best friend made it up so high. He didn't doubt Bumblebee's ability to be a leader, but leader of the Autobots was amazing.

"Heh.... its a long story," stated Goldbug. This damaged optic flickered with a bit more light and then went back down to its half dimmed state.

"Well, I have time," replied Bulkhead with a slight smile.


	4. Chapter 4

~Some scenes in the flashback have several days, years, or even decades between them. In my dream they actually weren't in order at all, so be glad I do that at least for you guys!~

--------------------

"Bee! Come're! Some Elite Guard are on the news!" called Sari from down the hall. Bumblebee blinked and then quickly skated over, "Blurr's there too!"

"Several of the bots were seen earlier today having some form of meeting," said the news reporter as a helicopter shot showed several bots, all with red Elite logos, "Here with a theory on what the meeting was about is political analyst Samuel Wise."

"Were you told about this meeting?" asked Sari from where she sat on the couch. She scooted over to give Bee room to sit, but the yellow bot stayed standing.

"No... no I wasn't," Bee replied, his expression was on of confusion. He had one optic brow raised and his mouth a bit open. It didn't make any sense they would leave him out of an important meeting.

"From what our local hero Sari Sumac has told us, the robots are in a civil war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The 'Elite Guard' as the call them were the Autobots military and government of sorts," the political analyst explained. "From what we know, the Autobots that have been defending Earth are stray refugess from their home planet. They aren't 'Elite' at all. The Decepticons mostly wiped out the Elite Guard. While the Autobots have been helping us, The Elite Guard has been staying at the sidelines, sometimes backing up 'Earth's Autobots.' However, the Elite Guard has clearly separated themselves from the Autobots."

"What does this mean to us 'Earthlings' Sam?" asked the reporter on television.

"How could they have a meeting without us?" asked Bumblebee, he crossed his arms and looked annoyed at the TV screen, "We've been sending out our bots to protect all the major space bridges. We've kept Megatron from getting AllSpark fragments, and-" Bumblebee was cut off by Sari shushing him, she turned up the volume on the TV more.

"This meeting had three Autobots present. However, Bumblebee was not there. He is the Autobot that works in conjunction with our military." spoke the man on the news. Bumblebee saw Wheeljack and two other bots on his team in the discussion with Blurr and other Elite. Three of his teammates were there, but he was not told about it. It was Blurr being there that upset him most.

"Why didn't Blurr tell me!" Bumblebee became noisy again. "Don't I get any intel benefits by being his.... friend?"

"SHHHH! Bee! This is just as good as having a spy on them, if you pay attention!" The young woman reprimanded him. Bumblebee sighed and sat on the couch.

"While they have a damping field to keep anyone from overhearing, we can be certain that it was to discuss combining forces more readily," The expert on the news concluded. Bumblebee still pouted at being left out.

"I can't believe none of them told me!" Bee still complained. He crossed his arms and pouted.

"Maybe because they wanted to talk about us?" speculated the redheaded teen. Bumblebee blinked and took the statement the wrong way.

"I don't think... our relationship.. thing... that would be... important enough for-" Bumblebee was then interrupted by Sari.

"Not 'US US' silly, I mean all the work we did while the Elite Guard was out of commission... Maybe they want us to join officially or something," suggested Sari as she turned away from the T.V. She looked over at Bee from the back of the couch.

"Maybe...." faded Bee. He knew he would find out from Blurr soon enough.

------------------

"Ican'tbelieveit! He charged me twice as much as he did thelasttime! It was the same part he repaired thelasttimetoo!" Blurr complained at his fast speed talking. Sari was bargaining with the mechanic in the background. The young woman was good at intimidating a man four times the size of her.

"Well... you did drive on it for a week without repairing it," replied Bumblebee as they walked away from the garage. They left the redheaded teen to yell and haggle with the garage owner. The two bots walked towards the overlook of the broken overpass. Bumblebee had seen many broken roads in his time. This was the first time there wasn't construction work started to fix it. The humans were going to leave it broke.

"Iknow,Iknow," Blurr replied, "Primus, when are they get back with the Key. I'm sure if we get all the shards together we would need it to combined them to be the AllSpark again."

"Is that what the meeting the other day about?" Bumblebee slipped in. Blurr was so comfortable talking to his fellow speed bot he didn't think twice about the question.

"No... themeetingwas-" the blue bot then stopped, "Ohfrag."

"Yeah. You guys need to remember human technology isn't that far behind. And since no one makes TV shows anymore the news is the most exciting thing on," explained Bumblebee, "Why didn't you tell me! I thought we were friends!"

"Weare! But there is a good reason we had to meeting without you," replied Blurr. He lowered his optics from looking at Bee. As an Elite Guard he completely understood why things had to be secrets but did not know how to explain it to his friend.

"Then why? Please tell me?" Bumblebee begged in his usual childish manner. He pouted with his big dow optics.

"We are.... discussing.. makingyouleader," said Blurr, finishing that sentence with a speed faster than he normally talked. He hoped Bee wouldn't catch it.

"No really, what were you guys talking about?" Bumblebee asked sincerely, being able to understand Blurr's words at his fastest speed. The yellow bot believed Blurr was joking.

"That is what it was about," Blurr repeated. Bumblee's jaw dropped. Blurr tried to make it clearer, "There is no figurehead at all. We need someone to combined both groups against the Decepticons."

"I CAN'T be leader.... and Sari helps me a lot, its not just me!" Bumblebee protested. His expression was one of slight panic with his hands in fists at his sides.

"Yes, we know that, but you have natural leadership skills. You easily convinced the Elite Guard to help you on many occasions. You kept a team of refugees under your leadership when everyone thought the Elite Guard had been completely wiped out," explained Blurr, "And you won't be alone even as leader. It will be the same as things are now except the title and you'll carry Prime code."

"Prime code? I... wow. A Prime..," Bumblebee said softly to himself, still finding this hard to believe. His panic about being leader seemed to melt away with the thought of being a Prime.

"We would give you Ultra code but it was lost with Ultra Magnus' death. Prime is the highest code we have in tact now..." Blurr faded off as he spoke at his usual speed.

"So its already decided? I guess I can't turn it down," replied Bumblebee as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. He found it surreal that he would be leader of all the Autobots.

"Notyet, there is one more meetingwithavote," explained Blurr. He knew he shouldn't have been telling Bumblebee this. However, Bee's friendship meant a lot to him. He would found out sooner or later.

"Are you sure? I mean, about me being leader of all Autobots?" Bumblebee reworded this question one more time, "Are you sure I'll be a good leader? It seems like too much."

"I think you'll be a great leader," smiled Blurr. "We all considered you as an option."

"So... I'll know tomorrow then? I'll try to look surprised," replied Bumblebee with a smile of his own. He then laughed softly.

"Yes, tomorrow..." repeated Blurr, smiling at Bumblebee's laugh.

"How many Elite Guard is left?" asked Bumblebee, "Some of the refugees on my team say the Decepticons had most of the control over Cybertron," spoke Bumblebee softly. He realized he changed the mood to a darker subject. It was though is processors switched to wanting to know what the leader should know.

"Its not good at all...." sighed Blurr. "Jazz is currently watching over Cybertron... what'sleftinourcontrol," he explained, "After this last meeting I'll have to go back there."

"I know," said Bumblebee. Even if he was leader he wouldn't order Blurr to stay on Earth. His skills were needed more on Cybertron at the moment.

"You could of called or sent a postcard that whole time we though the WHOLE Elite Guard was wiped out!" half joked the yellow bot. Blurr chuckled softly.

"Sorry, if it makes you feel any betterwethoughtthebotsherewereallofflinedtoo..." Blurr wanted to joke like Bee but it just could not come out as such.

"Blurr... we'll have no worries now! We'll be best buds forever, right?" chuckled Bee to lighten up the mood. Blurr smiled. Instead of saying a high speed yes in agreement he just nodded his head. The two bots talked about more uplifting things as they waited for Sari.

"We have it on good word that you compromised the situation with Bumblebee," stated Perceptor, who wore a red Elite Guard symbol.

"I told him what the meeting was about! He had the right to know we were considering to make him leader!" said Blurr in his fast fashion. Other Elite overhearing the conversion had a hard time understanding.

"However, you are the deciding vote. We can't have you compromised at all. The choice of leader has to be an infallible choice. They are not only responsible for helping defeat the Decepticons, but also to keep the Autobots from separating. You know what happening around us. You know the politics of it all," explained Perceptor.

"Hedoesn'tknowIamthedecidingvote!" complained Blurr in his annoyed tone, which only made his talking faster.

"You can no longer be the deciding vote. But you should be glad to the the task has been given to Jazz. He also knows Bumblebee. I'm sure he will make the right choice," explained Perceptor. Blurr sighed but nodded. Jazz could make an indisputable neutral choice. He had faith in his old co-worker.

--------------------

"Who did you vote for Jazz?" Blurr asked his old friend. Blurr knew he shouldn't be asking but it had been after the voting meeting. There was no way to influence him now. Jazz paused and then replied softly in his com.

"I voted for you man," the ninja bot replied quietly. It seemed as though there was others in the room that he did not want overhearing him.

"WHATWHATWHAT!?!?!?!" Blurr's voice as almost at panic, "Iknownothingaboutdirectingpeopleandbattleplanning!"

"Ah, from what I understand your main role would be keeping us together. You understand politics and whatever better than any bot I know. And a lot of the old bots don't want to follow someone as young as Bee. You were constructed right after the Great War," Jazz went on, "Bee can still do his thing, and would respect orders from you. That would work towards the whole 'keeping together' plan."

"OhJazz, Ihopeyou'reright," Blurr had an ache in his circuits. This wasn't right. It felt like Bee should was destined to be leader. Something was off. Something was wrong. There was a human phrase Sari's father said once, 'Good intentions pave the way to hell.'

-----------------

"Well, at least we get to see each other more! If I were leader you'd have to be an intel bot on Cybertron," spoke Bumblebee. He was relieved that he didn't have the responsibility of being leader of all the Autobots. He was content with protecting Earth with his army of misfits. Blurr's response was unusually slow and dark.

"Something is going to go wrong," was all Blurr could say at what could be considered a normal speed.

"What are you talking about? You'll do great as a leader! And you know Megatron won't get back to Cybertron with me in charge of Earth!" stated Bumblebee in his normal ego spouting self.

"Yesthatstrue," Blurr smiled back lightly. The yellow bot could always cheer him up.

------------------

"I've been hearing some disturbing news from the warfront," said Blurr to Jazz as they walked down the hall of an Elite Guard ship.

"Everything's been cool. What's the matter?" asked Jazz concerned. He could not think of any Deception's uprisings that would of cause something disturbing.

"I heard some of your bots are equipped with arm canons that can desinagrate sparks in one hit. Is that true?" asked Blurr calmly but still fast.

"We have a few soldiers armed with that. Its for worst case scenarios only," spoke Jazz. "Just a few."

"It needs to cease. That is not what Autobots are about," stated Blurr as he had his hands folded behind his back as he talked.

"I understand," replied Jazz in his leadership voice. "I would then be concerned with the Earth front. I've heard rumors of Bumblebee working with Decepticons. Even working with Starscream."

"Bee knows what he is doing. I trust him," Blurr replied at a normal pace. There was no way of convincing the blue bot otherwise.

---------------------

"Congratulations on twenty five years as leader of the Autobots!" smiled Sari as she placed a wrapped gift on the table. Bumblebee had walked in behind her with a big smile on his faceplate.

"Youguys.... didn'thavetogetmeanything!" said Blurr to his friends. He kept his arms folded across him. One thing he had to learn about smaller human spaces was not to talk with his hands like he did. It often lead to breaking something in small quarters.

"Well, I wanted to invite EVERYONE, but Sari thought with you're work and everything you'd like a more quiet party... of just us," explained Bumblebee. Sari was right though. After being around everyone while being leader, a party with two people was just the thing needed. Blurr smiled at the pair, not wanting to bring up any war business till later.

"Bumblebee tried to make oil cake. Eat at your own risk," warned Sari as she set the table.

"HEY!" Bee turned to Sari and spoke in his defense, "I think I got it right on the third try!"

Blurr and Sari both chuckled. The Elite bot never teasingly made fun of Bee. But, he did enjoy Sari and Bee's back and fourth banter when visiting them. The red head then turned to the blue bot.

"Go ahead and open your present!" Sari commanded with a grin.

"Youreallyreallydidn'thavetogetmeanything!" Blurr spoke again. Despite his denying of needing a present he gave it a small shake while talking. His audios did not pick up any sound of movement at all.

"Just go ahead and open it already!" Bumblebee joined in on the egging on, "For the fastest speed bot there is you're sure taking your time."

"Finefinefine! You can be fast and stillbepatient," Blurr said while giving Bee a familiar all-knowing look. The blue bot then looked away to open the gift. He ripped off the red wrapping paper to uncover the box underneath. The blue speed bot then opened the box, "Could you two make this any more difficult to open?"

The duo smiled as Blurr finally pulled out the gift. It was a framed picture that was taken the last time he visited. The frame was ceramic with race cars, a style meant for a human child's room. The picture was the three of them in Chicago. It had been some meeting with humans on how to handle the increasing Decepticon threat. The Chicago skyline was in the back of the picture as the trio stood for the picture. Sari sat in Blurr's hand, to be brought up close to the bot's faces to be in the picture. Bee had his arm around Blurr and had his usual cheesy photo grin. It had been the only photo that turned out decent. Many others taken at that time had silly faces from Sari and Bee. At one point Bee had tried to put 'bunny ears' on Blurr. He couldn't because of the blue bot's head design. Blurr smiled at all the memories that came with the picture.

"Thankyoubothverymuch," the blue bot smiled at his friends.

"Sorry it isn't much, you know with planet Earth being post apocalyptic and all," Sari said in a joking tone. The term was an exaggeration but Blurr knew what she meant.

"Itsperfect," Blurr still smiled. He looked over at Bee and Sari. Truth was, it was the best gift he could ever receive.

"Yeah! You could put it on your office desk, or whatever you have back on Cybertron. Be right back with the cake!" smiled Bumblebee as he raced off. In a moment he rushed back with the now lopsided Cybertronian treat, "Eh.... it doesn't look so good, but I swear it tastes great!"

"Ha.... this is your last chance to bail out now," Sari said, "My excuse is I'm too 'human' to digest that stuff."

"Hahaha," Blurr laughed, "I'm sure its great if Bee put all his spark into making it."

"See! Blurr trusts my cooking," said Bee while turning to Sari. The yellow bot then immaturely stuck out his tongue at Sari. The reheaded woman returned the gesture.

"Besides, I'm sure Primus has too much planned ahead for me to be killed off by oil cake," smirked Blurr.

"Et Tu Blurr?" the yellow bot looked over to the Elite bot with his not amused face. Sari giggled and grabbed Blurr's fork. The fork was a much larger fork meant for a barbecue, but it did the trick. Without cutting a slice she just dug out a big scoopful with the fork and put it up to Blurr's mouth.

"I'm actually sure its great. Just have a taste and tell him its good before he leaks from his eyes," Sari said, teasing that Bumblebee would be sensitive enough to cry if Blurr didn't like the cake. Blurr chuckled and took a bite off the forkful Sari offered.

"Itisgreat!" said Blurr in all honestly. On the other hand, it had been a very long time since Blurr had oil cake. He kept that comment to himself however. It was edible and sweet, thats all that mattered.

"Awh, a domestic bot back on Cybertron could do much better," said Bumblebee, "I'm sure you have bots back there that can cook way better too."

"Well, you'rebetterthanallofthem," smiled Blurr. He didn't correct Bee on saying he had bots to cook for him. The truth was he didn't. For some reason Bumblebee had his notion that Cybertron was luxurious despite the war going on there. He didn't want to spoil those thoughts for his friend. Bumblebee smiled at the complement, proud he did a good job.

-----------------------

"Primus!" cried Bumblebee as he rushed to a fallen organic bot. He saw Blurr a short distance away incapacitated. An Elite Guard med bot along with two others were already at their leader's side, trying to keep him functioning. The boy bot in front of Bee no longer had a spark. He took a quick glance around the forest for the guards that were there as well. He saw pieces of the guards spread all around. What was worse, Bee saw pieces of Blurr on the forest floor as well. Confirming the organic bot had no spark he would have to grieve later. The yellow bot then went to Blurr's side, pushing one of the non medical bots out of the way.

"Bee...." from Blurr's one functioning optic he saw his friend. Bee tried not to be shocked at Blurr's condition. The blue bot had half his face torn off, along with one arm missing. One of his legs was gone from the knee down. The other looked like the delicate tire structure was ripped about just to be cruel. Sparks danced everywhere over his armor. Energon and oil had already leaked horribly. Puddles of it mixed curled around the blue bot's body. Blurr smiled softly and was barely able to get his hand to Bumblebee's cheek.

"Don't worry Blurr, I'm sure the med bot can fix you," said Bee with a sad look on his face. He knew what he just said was a lie. Blurr's spar chamber was burned out of him, but left his spark in tact. THe spark was not supported by anything at all. It was centered in the gapping hole in Blurr's chest. It floated there and was fading fast.

"Did the others make it? The little troublemaker did so . . well . ," said Blurr, his speaking was slowing down to a normal speed. He was unable to keep his hand up on Bee's cheek. As it began to slide Bee put his hand over the over Blurr's white hand to keep it held up. The yellow bot looked over the damaged bots again. His gaze paused at the young bot's body. As much as he tried to hold back, it hit him in the processors. The boy was gone, and Blurr soon would be.

"They're fine, They're all fine,' Bumblebee lied again. If he were human he would have tears starting up in his optics. Blurr's spark faded more and more. It would flicker and light up a bit more when Blurr tried to speak. It was as though if the speedster kept talking he could live longer. The med bot did his best to keep him running but there was literally nothing to work with.

"Don'tbe...so....sad. Idon'twant you frowning be the last thing I see...." Blurr still smiled so relaxed. Even though oil, energon, and sparks accumulated around him he wasn't in pain. Bumblebee chuckled softly at the request and tried to smile, his audio let off a sob sound he tried to hold back.

"It'll be alright buddy, I'll- " before Bee could finish the hand Blurr had on Bee's cheek gained strength and moved up to the top of Bee's head. He moved the yellow bot's head down to his shoulder, "Blurr... what are you doi-"

Blurr's pointer finger converted into a small data plug. His hand moved to the back of Bumblebee's head. A receiving port opened in the yellow bot and the finger pressed in. Bee watched Blurr's spark fade as the dying bot downloaded information into his processor. The three other bots stood there and watched. Bee had long tuned them out and only focused on Blurr.

Bumblebee stood still with his head on Blurr's shoulder until the blue bot finished. The younger had heard stories about how dying bots without thinking would try to download their memories to another. It was some form of 'survival instinct' some bots had. The blue bot's hand then tumbled like dead weight down the back of Bee's head. It lay limp on the ground as Blurr tried to raise it again. The joints on it sparked. Bumblebee raised his head and took his struggling friend's hand.

"Blurr.....," as all Bumblebee could say. He tried to still smile for Blurr. The blue bot's in contact eye faded to black. Bumblebee felt Blurr's hand go cold in his own, "NO NO NO!"

The three other bots watched as the yellow bot grieved. It was not only Blurr he had lost but the boy the leader had been taking to 'safety.' The realization hit Bumblebee hard. The yellow bot still held Blurr's hand as he rested his head back on the blue bot's shoulder. As he felt his friend's spark shrink away an idea maddened him. The only reason the spark was dying was the lack of any robot being connected to it. There was no longer a power source for it. The medic and one of the other bots left to check for the guards.

Bumblebee raised up his head. Blurr was slowly turning gray. The yellow bot paused, watching his speedster friend have life slip away so slowly. The yellow bot hesitated at the idea that boiled in his processors. The fingers of his free hand crept up the side of Blurr's spark casing.

Bee grabbed the fading spark. It sent a shock through his body but he still managed to pull it out. The other bot would of said a, 'wait, what are you doing?' but Bee was already gone.

He was faster in car mode. The spark rested on his passenger seat. It started to melt the faux leather. It felt like forever until Bumblebee reached his destination. All he saw was smears of colors as he rushed, but luckily he knew how to navigate the bright streaks as though they were clear as day.

"Bee? Whats wrong?" Sari asked as she stood in front of an Autobot scout ship. One of Bee's refugee members had brought it form Cybertron years ago. Sari, Bee and other bots had lived there since the secret base was compromised. Sari could tell something was wrong even though Bee was in vehicle mode. She didn't need his robot mode expressions to know. He zoomed past Sari while holding the dimming spark.

In a flash he was at the ships power core. He changed out of car mode and held the spark in his hands. Bumblebee could barely see it now. He only new it was in his hands because of the heat and sparks of shock in his fingers.

Bumblebee pried open casing doors, causing alarms to go off. The fading ball of light was now baseball sized as he shoved it above the power source. The spark lighted up with the surge given by the core. Energy flickered from the core to the spark like a small lighting storm. For a moment the power cores controls lighted up as well.

The glow reminded Bumblebee of when the key was used on a machine. However, the glow was not followed by a sign of life. Instead the glow faded and everything seemed normal. The alarm still blared. All that mattered to Bee in that moment was Blurr's spark still being alive. Wheeljack rushed in with Sari on his shoulder.

"Bee! What happened?" Sari asked again. She saw the spark in the power core before Bee slammed the doors shut on it. "What is going on?!?!"

Bumblebee turned around from the power core. The alarms slowly faded. The look on hs face was so forlorn. His mission of speeding here was done. He practically collapsed into a sitting position on the floor. His knees were bent in front of him, almost like he could curl up in a ball.

"Honey Bee?" Sari questioned again as Wheeljack's hand placed her on the ground. The mad scientist stayed quiet as Sari went to Bee's side.

"They're all dead.....," Bee said softly, counting Blurr with that statement. He had saved the blue bot's spark but doubted if that really saved his friend.

"Who's all dead?" replied Sari, wanting a clear answer from her sparkmate. Bumblebee looked directly at the redheaded woman. He opened his mouth but his audio refused to speak. he then turned his sad optics to Wheeljack as though expecting him to explain.

"Bumblebee left to answer an Elite call for help. Blurr's group that was leaving for moon base three was attacked," Wheeljack explained what he had knowledge of. Sari's mouth dropped open in shock/ She was silent when taking in the information. She didn't ask any details as tears ran from her eyes. Sari hugged Bee's arm, almost matching the height of the elbow on the appendage. Wheeljack stayed silent as well, knowing what the information meant.

"The were leaving to go to safety zone! They were leav-," Sari started to repeat herself between sobs when Bee interrupted her.

"Wheeljack," Bee started as he stood. Sari let go of his arm before he was fully standing, "I just overhead an Elite Guard distress call. If Sari wonders where I am tell her I'll be right back."

What the yellow bot had said confused the two in the room. Bumblebee turned into car mode and zoomed out, almost hitting Wheeljack. The science bot then changed to car mode as well. There was no hope of him catching up to the speed bot but he had to try. Sari was left behind with tears still in her eyes.

"Bee! Whats going on!" the redhead spoke into a watch like communicator on her wrist.

"Oh Sari! I received a distress call from Blurr... kind of... I'm going to check it out!" explained Bumblebee, still confusing Sari. The redhead then called Wheeljack. Even before she could ask the science bot answered the question on her mind.

"He's in a rut. He's running the same processor cycle he had moments before. It happens to some bots when they have a traumatic experience. Speed bots are more prone to it," explained Wheeljack as he tried to pursue the yellow bot. Bumblebee was no longer in front of him so he was left to chasing his signal. On the opposite direction of traffic Wheeljack could see three Elite Guard vehicles go by.

"I can get Cliffjumper to take me where Bee's going," offered Sari. Her voice held back sobs from the incident going on around her.

"No, your presence might confuse things more. Also, there are Elite Guard heading to the ship. They probably want to talk to you and Bee," explained Wheeljack.

"They're... really... gone....," faded Sari, her 'organic' emotions being not too different than a processor in a rut.

"See what you can find out, and I'll do the same," Wheeljack's voice showed concern for his friends' and teammates' emotions. Sari silently hung up the call. She didn't mean to be rude, she just didn't have anything left to say.

Wheeljack came upon the woods that Bee had entered. He had to go to bot mode to get between the trees. Bee would have to do the same. The engineer hoped that would slow down the yellow bot as well. It was strange for hm to see the organic landscape. he was suddenly felt that he rarely ever left the ship. He supposed the main reason was that he missed Cybertron and didn't feel like making "human friends" if he was just going to go back someday.

The science bot came upon Bee in a clearing. The yellow bot was on his knees mumbling something. He appeared to be leaned over where a bot's body had been. The Elite Guard would have already taken the bodies. Wheeljack approached carefully. Despite his younger behavior, he was old enough to have seen the Great War. Being a science bot, he had seen and taken care of many processor glitching bots. Medbots cared for bodies while he took care of minds.

Wheeljack stayed back and silently watched Bee. The best way to do this was to let the speed bot run through a few glitched cycles before stopping him. Wheeljack would just have to chaperon Bumblebee while his processors ran through the fried motions.

The lights on the sides of the bot's head flickered as he sighed. It was in that moment he heard a rustle in the trees above him. The science bot clearly saw purple optics glowing back down at him. Wheeljack almost jumped out of his armor. In a flash the usually non-combat bot had an arm blaster pointed at the figure. The bot in the tree did not make any move to attack. Wheeljack still kept his weapon pointed at the purple optics. One of the optics twitched before the bot they belong to spoke.

"Puh, Wazzzzzp not here to hurt Glow-bot. Wazzzzp izzz here to watch what izzzz going on," the green bot in the tree muttered. He looked over at Bumblebee's strange behavior while raising an optic brow. His turning away showed he did not find Wheeljack a threat at all. This frustrated the scientist who just pointed the arm blaster with more determination. Wasp let out a noise that could only be described as a chuckle.

"You Decepticreeps killed th-" Wheeljack was about to throw insults instead of attacking. He found himself unable to fire upon a Decepticon that didn't have weapons pointed back at him.

"Dezzzzepticonz may have ztarted thizzzz fight, but Dezzzzzepticonz did not finizzzzh it. Wazp waz zent to zee what happen' to our team that wuzzzzz here," Wasp said, strangely sharing this information with an Autobot.

"Heh, didn't send their brightest little spy, did they?" mocked Wheeljack while still holding the gun at the Decepticon. Wasp rattled in the trees as he turned to peer down at Wheeljack. His purple optics narrowed as he still didn't show any weapons. He leaned downward some while preparing an insult back. His limbs made twice the sound they needed for the small motions. They were strange little ticks and squeaks from gears that just moments before had been silent. Anger seemed to make his servos noiser. The green bot then paused, as though he heard something over some internal audio.

"Wazzzzzp will be right therezzzz," He replied to the party on the other side of his silent com. Wasp then shifted in the tree, carefully climbing to a lower branch before contemplating the jump down.

"What makes you think I'm going to let you leave?!?!" complained Wheeljack as his arm blaster followed Wasp when the green bot jumped down from the tree. At first the bug bot shrugged arrogantly, but then came up with a verbal answer.

"Becauze, Glow-bot needzzz to make zzzure Bumble-bot doez not turn out like Wazzzzzp," the green bot replied with his back turned to the scientist. Wheeljack was then just reminded that he had to keep his eye on Bumblebee. The inventor frantically turned his attention back on the team leader of the Earth Autobots. Wasp went to car mod and drove off.

"No no no!" cried Bee as he repeated through memories he had went through moments ago. The yellow bot just watched the ground, as though Blurr's body was still there. Wheeljack looked back at where Wasp would of been if he had not driven off. He turned back to Bee. He couldn't help but wonder what the crazy Decepticon had meant by what he said.

Bumblebee surely wouldn't become a Decepticon because of the events that happened today. Wheeljack watched the yellow mech curl up on the ground as though resting his head on the nonexistent bot's shoulder. The science bot waited for when Bee would go back to the base. He would have to let the yellow bot run about maybe two more times before taking him down.

Then Wheeljack's mind wandered to what Wasp said again. If a bot had no one to take them out of a rut cycle, what would happen to them? Their body would eventually exhaust and no longer able to repeat the cycle. If they were fortunate enough to have a clean reboot after that, there would still be permanent damaged. It would lead to small glitches in motor skills and processor to audio damage. These were all symptoms Wasp had shown.

"Primus.... I wonder if Preceptor ever had an orbital cycle like this on Cybertron," Wheeljack said, commenting on his scientist friend who was stationed back on their home planet. At that moment Bee went into car mode. Wheeljack followed, going with his plan to repair the yellow bot.

----------------

Wheeljack had an arm around the half offlined mech to help walk him into the base ship. Sari rushed up to the pair.

"Bee? Are you alright?" She then looked to Wheeljack like she didn't expect a response from Bee, "Is he going to be alright."

"I'm fine babe...." Bumblebee replied, moving with Wheeljack's help to the nearest seat in the ship. He put his hand on his forehead to try to comfort his aching processors. Wheeljack lifted Sari to the yellow bot's shoulder, where then then sat and hugged his head.

"You had me so worried! After losin-" she stopped talking once she saw Wheeljack shaking his head out of Bee's line of sight. It wasn't best to bring out the bad things again. Bumblebee put a hand up on Sari's back to return the hug as best as their size difference could.

"Its good for Bumblebee just to relax a while. No sudden stresses would be best," suggested Wheeljack. With Bee's luck the Elite Guard solider and med bot bursted into the room. He had been borrowing their med bay to do an autopsy on Blurr.

"Blurr declared you leader of the Autobots," The Elite Guard soldier announced. Sari had to hold onto Bee's shoulder for dear life when the yellow bot stood quickly in surprise.

"Wh-what?!" Bumblebee stuttered and then leaned back on the chair. Sari had a look of confusion, Blurr had not been alive when they brought his body here, how could he have declared anything?

"He downloaded the modified Prime program into you," the solider added. Wheeljack glared at the Elite Guard bot, like he should of known better than to bother Bee with this information now.

"Hot Shot! He needs his rest," Wheeljack complained, his side lights flickering madly as he talked.

"This needs to be handled now... Autobots on Cybertron are already claiming that Jazz has the Ultra code somehow, and he should be leader," explained Hot Shot.

"Oh Slaggin.... I do not want to hear this now, my processors are still buzzing from running here and back several times," muttered Bumblebee. He was slightly embarrassed by the rut cycle he had just been in, "Whatever 'Civil War' is starting will have to wait till tomorrow."

"You don't understand...," faded the Elite Guard Med bot that had tried to save Blurr. He decided to speak up, "In the next few mega cycles there is going to be chaos. There have been bots that want to come to Earth post... and bots that want to leave here. If anyone feels a divide is going to happen they're going to move around quick."

"Leave?!?! Who would want to leave Earth?!? Who would want to leave my team?!?" Bee replied in out of character anger. They all knew that was not a normal reaction for the yellow bot. Sari hopped down onto the chair Bumblebee was leaning on.

"I'll handle things while you take a long power down honey," Sari smiled and patted the mech on the shoulder. She smiled lightly, but there was still sadness behind it. Sari could of used a 'power down' too but at least the logic systems her organic bot body had still had their sense. Bumblebee just nodded, not going to argue with his human formed mate. He hobbled off to power down in their room.

-----------------

Bumblebee woke up feeling like he had been in recharge for several mega cycles. He saw Sari nestled against him. She was wrapped in a comforter as always, with a pillow between her head and his chest. He smiled lightly. In that nanoclick it felt like nothing was wrong. Nothing had gone wrong. But in another moment he knew it wasn't true.

He silently slipped away from Sari and got out of the berth. He headed to the command room and was surprised by all the new bots he saw. He saw First Aid, the Elite Med bot that spoke to him earlier. Bee thought he should be the first bot to speak to. A few familiar faces smiled as Bee walked by to show they were glad their Earth leader was up and about.

"First Aid, what's gone on?" asked Bumblebee. He looked at the Elite med bot with a dazed feeling still in his processors.

"A lot of changes," First Aid sighed, hoping the bot's human would of told him by now, "You had some people leave... like Wheeljack, but some people came as well."

"Wait... So Sari and Wheeljack weren't able to convince our groups to stay together?" asked Bumblebee. He was surprised since Sari was so good at delegating.

"They didn't even want to talk to us. At all. Wheeljack went back because he wanted to find out more from Preceptor," explained First Aid, "My team is staying... you need a med bot. Hot Shot couldn't believe you bots on Earth survived with Wheeljack being your only acting med bot."

"Heh.... so I wasn't declared leader of the Autobots while I was asleep, was I?" Bumblebee said half jokingly.

"If you power downed any longer we would of given it to the red topped human ," First Aid joked, "But yes, every bot on this planet that is Autobot recognizes you as leader... Cybertron is another story. Only time will tell with that...."

"So I'm leader just because Blurr gave me the code? I don't want to be leader! Sure I can plan some things and lead a small group but I can't do the big picture," explained Bee exasperated. Before First Aid could speak a bot overhearing butted in.

"You gotta be kidding me!" a bot as yellow as Bumblebee stopped carrying some boxes past the two. He had overhead the conversation, "My brother and I heard all the stories about you. You're amazing!"

"Yeah! After Jazz announced Blurr Prime offlined he commanded all the bots on Earth to report back to Cybertron. We found that kinda odd," said the red bot carrying boxes as well behind his yellow brother.

"We heard all the stories of you and everyone fighting Megatron here. Why leave the planet where the Decepticon leader is stuck at? It doesn't make sense!" the yellow twin added.

"Even if Jazz wasn't acting weird, we would of come to Earth. Everything we heard about it! Did you really jump off a building onto Megatron when he was trying to escape a fight?" asked the red bot like he and his brother were Bumblebee's greatest fans.

"Yeah.....," faded Bumblebee. He normally liked the attention but felt awkward with all the information these two bots gave.

"Wow! You had to time that perfectly huh? I mean to get on him and not get hit by the helicopter blades!" said the yellow bot excitedly.

"I bet he didn't expect that at all!" added the red bot excited as ever.

"Yeah.....," Bee faded off again. The phrase, ' he didn't expect that at all,' hit him in a strange way. All his and Sari's plans to fight Deceptions were about doing what they did not expect. He pulled a deeper meaning from that. That was what it meant to be leader in these times.

"You two... go back to work. I' sure you'll get a chance to talk to him later,"" said First Aid. The twins pouted and went back to their 'chores.'

"So.... who's left?" asked Bumblebee, suddenly feeling more confident in being leader. First Aid picked up the change in tone and smiled lightly a moment. His face then went back to serious as he explained the situation.

"Younger bots. Mostly older bots that have seen the great war left. Most of them had sparkbonds on Cybertron and were anxious to return to them," explained First Aid.

"Then why did your team stay?" asked Bumblebee. He suddenly felt suspicious of the med bot although he had no reason to.

"in Jazz's announcement he said any bots not coming back to Cybertron would be treated at traitors," spoke First Aid softly, "Many of the bots that just left Cybertron know this."

"Wha- You- They-," Bumblebee as at a loss of words. These bots were so impressed with his leadership they were willing to be banished from their home planet. Not only that, but Jazz giving such an ultimatum was unheard of.

"So do you accept being leader? You could just give the code to someone else," said First Aid. The thought made Bee's memory processors go back to Blurr. The last thing his dying friend had done was to put the Prime code in his systems. The young bot remembered his friend's touch as it downloaded. Bumblebee then recalled how Blurr wanted him to be leader to begin with. Blurr's confidence him permeated his processor.

"I accept," replied Bumblebee with a slight smile.

------------------

"Wow....thats a lot to happen....," faded Bulkhead, "But I'm confused, who was the other bot?"

"What other bot?" asked Goldbug Prime as he looked away from the window and at his friend. He raised the brow on his good optic confusedly.

"The one you mentioned you went to check on first. The one you and Sari were as upset about as Blurr....." clarified Bulkhead. Goldbug didn't even realize those details had slipped in.

"Oh. Thats a whole other story," Goldbug muttered. It was another subject he wanted to avoid, ".... So thats why I'm leader...."

"Well... that means Jazz IS the bad guy!" stated Bulkhead. He green bot quickly covered his mouth with his large digits as he realized what he said.

"Wait.... what?" Goldbug raised an optic brow at his old buddy again.

"Uh... Oh....," Bulkhead only knew it was a matter of time before he slipped. Before Goldbug could question the olive bot a beep came on his com.

"What is it?" Goldbug spoke sternly, feeling like he had been interrupted.

"Ah- heh heh... remember you said to get our guests whatever they wanted? Well our guests wanted a shuttle...," faded Cheetor over the com.

"You let them leave the ship?! We need them to get back to their time! If one of them gets-" Goldbug started to yell at the younger bot, but was cut off.

"Don't start yelling yet, it gets worse," Cheetor nervously explained, "I did put a tracker on the shuttle and they went to meet.... Ultra Jazzimus."

"WHAT?!?!" Goldbug screeched over the coms. He quickly commed his second in command into the conversation.

"Wheeljack... I need you to send soldiers to the coordinates I'm making Cheetor give you," commanded Goldbug Prime. Cheetor didn't wait to be told to send them all the information he had. Goldbug turned and glared at Bulkhead.

"So.... aheh," was all the big green bot could say while he tapped his large metal digits together.


	5. Chapter 5

"This item is useless to me now," Megatron spoke softly, but with a sternness that made it seem louder than any bot Swindle had heard. The Decepticon leader just tossed the time machine aside. Swindle scrambled to catch it. The controller took a few tumbles around the merchant bot's fingers before he clumsily caught it. Megatron's voice was colder than usual, "Can't you see we've already won the war? This is useless, utterly useless."

"But Megatron baby," Swindle started his spiel, "You still have rebels in your way and spies in your ranks. With a simple zip into the past you can wipe out all the Autobots from existence! Rule four milion stellar cycles already! Rebuild Cybertron to the utopia you always wanted!"

"What is in it for you Swindle?" Megatron's voice was filled with suspicion, "What is the point of selling this device to me if the credits I give for it disappear when I change time?"

"I am well prepared for that as well!" the merchant bot then pointed to a strange red metal mod on his 'belt.' It stuck out from his normal purple and yellow colors, "It's not very stylish but it keeps a backup so when time changes I will still have my memories and credits. I can sell you a few of these units too. They're pricing is up for discussion."

"Are you saying I can't handle the Autobot rebels," Megatron stood from the command chair of the ship. His attitude suddenly changed from being interested into looking accusingly at Swindle, "that I am so weak as to have a need to cheat destiny?"

"No no no....!" Swindle was surprised by Megatron's sudden change in reaction. Useless items offered for sale would annoy the Decepticon leader Swindle knew. However, Megatron would still humor the merchant bot, not wanting to get rid of the contact for when the purple mech had a useful item.

This was not the professional business man Swindle knew. Megatron had twisted the offer into a negative insult. Despite this, Swindle did not cower as Megatron took a step closer to him. The merchant bot then thought back to seeing their leader exiling Lugnut. Swindle was no detective bot, yet he felt something was amiss.

"I'm not saying that at all!" Swindle smiled the best he could without showing his nervousness, " seems I've come at a bad time."

The purple bot started to the exit. Blitzwing blocked him. Megatron had directed him with a hand gesture that said not to let the merchant bot leave.

"What do you plan to do now then?" Megatron spoke softly. Swindle could hear the Deception leader's footsteps behind him approaching. Swindle turned around to face the much larger gray bot. He still smiled and talked as though nothing was wrong.

"Little ole me? I'll be going back to my time and not getting in your way. I'll be better use to you selling weapons to you there," said Swindle, glad he didn't tell Megatron that the scaredy seeker was needed. He was sure the need to bring an enemy to the past would make Megatron's mood even worse.

The Decepticon leader towered over the merch bot. Swindle had always been a smaller sized Decepticon, must how Bee was a smaller Autobot. What Swindle lacked in height he made up for in weapons and mods. He pondered the consequences of pointing said weapons at Megatron.

"Hmph, You have been more harm than help today," Megatron stared down at the purple bot, "The reason we are winning this war is because the Autobot's lack that accursed Key. Now you brought THEM with it," said Megatron as Swindle quickly caculated an apology and an excuse to say. Perhaps he could offer to get the Key for them, for a price of course.

"I'm sorry there Megs. You know you are my favorite customer. Perhaps I could-" Swindle's words were interrupted as the Decepticon leader talked over him.

"Swindle, for one that bears the Decepticon symbol it is unusual for your optics to be violet," Megatron spoke still at his soft but intimidating tone. This statement confused Swindle. His optic color was that more common to a neutral bot. The purple bot was perplexed as to why that suddenly mattered. Decepticons were usually accepting of 'different' mechs. From Blitzwing's messed up spark to Black Arachina's half organic body. If you pledged allegiance to Megatron it did not matter.

There was an Earth term that most bots did not know. Swindle and Megatron were included in this lack of knowledge. The Decepticons thoughts and previous actions on neutral bots fit the definition: ethinc cleansing.

"I am certain our 'friends' from the past will be looking for your time device, and maybe even you. When they come for it I will get their precious Key. Blitzwing, seize the time machine," command Megatron. Swindle now knew things weren't going his way. He did not want to ruin his business by pulling a weapon on the Decepticon leader. Always with business on his mind, he thought ahead to when he would get out of this mess.

He could contact Starscream. Even though he enraged the bot by taking Skywarp, the old seeker would still listen to the merchant's time travel offer. The short Decepticon pulled his time device behind him. With the device out of Blitzwing's grasp for the moment, he brought up his shield and weapons.

"Now now now.... This is your last change to take up on this once in a lifetime offer," warned Swindle. He was a Decepticon in the sense that he wanted Megatron to purchase the time machine from him. He really couldn't imagine a future where Starscream ruled.

"You are losing your touch. I have admired you in the past for your intelligence and wits. But you have made several fatal errors today," Megatron's voice then became lower. He leaned down to have his face as close to Swindle's as the shield would allow, "Your mods are roughly four hundred stellar cycles out of date."

Swindle opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a change of energy through his system. His sensors did not pick up the bot behind him. The all black mech seemed to melt out of the shadows behind the merchant. Megatron and Blitzwing did not say a word. The shadowed bot's hands reached through Swindle's force field. It gave a shock to Swindle and the silent bot. Swindle whipped around to point his weapons at the intruder.

Without hesitation the shadowed bot grabbed on Swindle's pointed arm and pulled the much smaller bot close. It made it impossible to fire on the target, for now he was too close. Swindle always had another trick up his servo. A status lock blade came out from the palm of Swindle's grabbed arm. He went to stab the assailant with it. The shadowed bot stayed calm. In a split second he pulled the arm with such a force that it ripped clean off. Swindle was frozen in a moment of surprise. Wires and metal separated like nothing. His processors couldn't even register the pain right away.

The figure in the shadows leaned in to show his face to the smaller bot. The attacker looked much like Optimus Prime despite his height being a head shorter than Megatron. His casing was not red and blue, but black and shades of gray. His mouth was large. It almost ran from one side of this cheeks to the other. When he smiled it showed his sharp teeth. They were all lined up nicely like a bladed zipper.

Swindle's still attached hand held the time device. He used a finger from the same hand to push on his shield generator as he took a step back from the menace. He hit the button to have his shield overload. The dark bot was paralyzed by the electricity, but only for a moment. The dar bot's hand shook with strain but still moved fast to grab the shield device. He yanked at it hard. It did not come off as easily as he thought.

Swindle had another defense. This one was shock just from physical contact from the attacker. The sparks from the merchant's shield and his chassis made for quite a lights show. Megatron and Blitzwing watched from their short distance away. They did not lift a servo. They knew their teammate could handle the small purple bot.

The dark bot was now incredibly slown down by the current double shock of energy. His movement was very slow and shaking as he tried to reach for Swindle's neck. Energon and oil started to bleed from where Swindle's arm used to connect.

"Ah," Blitzwing started to interrupt with his Icy form speaking, "This seems like a good time to note that exposed energon being near an overload of energy at that magnitude is not good for either of them."

"Scourge has survived worse," replied Megatron as he watched the special. As the dark bot's free hand reached for Swindles neck the purple bot stepped out of the way.

Scourge still clutched the ripped off arm in his other hand. He turned it around and thrusted the stasis lock blade into Swindle's 'belt' side. The merch bot stumbled back a few steps at the hit but did not go into stasis lock. He had a mod to inhibit the effects of stasis cuffs. Luckily it seemed to work in this case too. However, it would eventually give in.

Swindle now was backed up enough to fire most of his lasers while pulled his own arm out of his side. Energon dripped on the floor from both his shoulder and severed arm. Scourge did not show any sign of being effected by the laser fire. He silently walked towards the purple bot. Swindle found himself by the doorway out of the command room. He rushed to the escape route but only found himself slipping forward. The triple changer had fred ice under Swindle's feet.

Scourge did not speak a word as he glared at Blitzwing for interfering. The black armored bot rarely spoke, leaving his optics to converse for him. Blitzwing's Icy was about to speak but Hothead started instead.

"You were drawing it out way too long! Just crush him!" Hothead yelled. Scourge then narrowed his optics at the triple changer before turning his attention back to his victim. Swindle's shield were down as he struggled to stand from the icy ground. The stasis lock was kicking in before he could make his escape.

"Yo-you'll never do business in this quadrant ever again!" Swindle stumbled out. It was a nonsensical threat but his programing had to have him say it. The bot found himself unable to move soon afterward. Scourge snatched the time device from Swindle's still attached hand and gave it to Megatron.

"Take him to a cell. And please," the leader of the Decepticons paused a moment for dramatic effect, "Don't be too rough with him. I may need him alive later."

Scourge made a noise that could only be described as a snort of confirmation that he had heard his leader's orders. The dark bot flung Swindle over his shoulder and carried him down the hall. Swindle's upper body was over Scourge's back shoulder. He was very uncomfortable with his current predicament.

The merch bot knew the frustration of not being able to move all too well. The one thing he could be glad for was being in bot mode. he would not be able to stand being frozen in vehicle mode again.

"How about we make a deal, hmm?" started Swindle even though he didn't receive a response, "What is it you need? Credits? Rare mods? Or maybe you'd like to use that little ole time machine for your own needs?" offered Swindle with a slight smirk.

The bot gave no response. Scourge then pulled Swindle off his shoulder and slammed him by his legs onto the ground. The merchant bot landed on his aft and back at a hard force. He let out a grunt of pain as the dark bot stood over him.

"Too loyal to your job to take an offer? I understand completely. If you feel you don't need extra help with keeping your job secure then more power to you," Swindle started a spiel, "Though, I can't help but wonder if Lugnut felt his job was secure too. Its a shame those Autobots got away from him....."

Scourge said nothing and loomed over the purple bot. Swindle started to feel a sense of dread run over his processors. With all his defense and enhancing mods he pondered how much damage he could survive. The dark bot threw Swindle's arm into his chest, causing it to leave cracks in the glass. Swindle erghed at the pain but still didn't give up.

"How about, you don't have to worry about freeing me. I can contact some of my sources from here, get you what ever mods you want, and all you have to do is not nearly scrap me right now? Hows that deal?" Swindle asked, still being a salesman in every circuit.

Scourge let out a low chuckle. It was one that didn't require him to open his mouth. He kicked Swindle across the cell. The purple bot slide on his back till he hit the wall. The dark bot was not interested in bribes at all. However, Swindle was not out of tricks.

Like any stasis lock, Swindle did have some limited movement with his head. Stasis lock did not prevent a bot from talking. This lead to a flaw of allowing the captured bot to swivel his neck. Swindle moved his neck to hit the back of his head hard against the wall. With that move he activated a mod placed under panels on the back of his head. The mod placed there shocked him out of stasis lock. It was a moments pain, but it did the trick. He pretended to remain limp so Scourge would step closer. Once the black bot was clear for the cell door Swindle planned to make a run for it.

Scourge stepped up to the merch bot and lifted him up by his neck. While a robot could not be chocked from air as a human, the act still received the same reaction. Some bot models could be decapitated with no reaction while others contained important vitals in their necks. Swindle was a bot that relied on his voice. A lot of wires and circuits resided there. Swindle winced and grunted at the pressure put on his delicate neck panels.

He did not yet give away that he could move. He kept limp as he hoped the dark bot did not decide to crush his neck right then. Scourges hand became slightly tighter as he held Swindle higher up. He looked over the small Decepticon and smirked. He knew this bot would be fun to take apart. Swindle's attached hand weakly grabbed onto Scourge's wrist. The merch bot gave the attacker the feeling that he was defeated. Swindle waited until the right moment. He let out a struggled whimper that made Scourge grin.

Swindle saw the opening he was waiting for. From the point he was lifted up to allowed Scourge's side to be exposed. Swindle then gave a sudden kick to Scourge's side. It was a soft spot on almost any model of bot. The tyrant grunted to the kick. The dark bot then threw Swindle hard on the floor. It shattered what was left of the mech's missing arm shoulder. It also left quite a dent in the floor.

Despite the throw, the purple bot scrambled up quickly to rush out the hall. He thought to grab his arm but it was too late now. Suddenly a grappling hook rope wrapped around his torso and arm. It then tugged him down to his knees. Scourge then started to reel in the grappling hook. Swindle dragged across the hallway floor as he struggled for his life to get out. Scourge smirked, feeling the smaller bot was out of tricks.

The merchant bot had all his weapons appear even though they were useless moments earlier. Swindle shot it off at the highest setting. It still had no effect on the monster looking Optimus. Scourge still held his smirk. With one final yank he pulled Swindle close to him. The smaller bot still laid on the floor with Scourge looking over him. Swindle struggled to get his arms free.

Scourge just watched him struggle. He showed no rush in putting Swindle back in the cell. It was as though he was waiting to see the visual cues of Swindle giving up. Swindle still kept up with his desperate attempted to get loose. The large dark bot seemed to get bored with waiting. He placed a hand around each of Swindle's more delicate shoulder cannons and ripped them off.

An electric shock went through Scourge's frame as he did so. Swindle now had a smirk of his own as he used his legs to scoot his body away from his attacker. The smaller Decepticon was proving to have a booby trapped body. Scourge recovered as Swindle was loosing the ropes around himself.

The next thing the merchant bot saw was a recovered Scourge descending down on him. The dark bot picked up Swindle by the waist and smashed his back into the nearest cell door. The smaller bot struggled and pressed his feet into the larger bot's sides. A pulse from the smaller bot's feet shocked Scourge again. Despite the fact smoke came from his sharp toothed mouth, his glare and smirk still focused on Swindle. Scourge did not let go of the smaller bot despite the pain he was in.

Swindle struggled against the wall he was being held on. He fold up his legs and pressed them against Scourge's stomach. He gave his legs a strong push to knock the larger bot away. The bot did not give way at all.

"Out of tricks?" the dark bot said softly. Swindle recognized the voice but couldn't place where. He had so many customers as far back as the great war. It could be any of a million mechs. Scourge opened the door he had been smashing the small bot on. He then promptly threw Swindle in the cell. The throw was hard against the cell wall. It caused another dent on Swindle's already crushed back.

The merch bot hissed at the pain and glared at Scourge for the comment. Scourge slammed the cell door and locked Swindle in. The large dark Optimus looking bot then headed down the hallway. He picked up Swindle's two ripped off laser cannons as he went back to the command room.

Little did the dark bot know but Swindle had used his last back up plan. While trying to struggle out of the ropes earlier Swindle was actually attempting to hit his emergency signal. While Swindle's electric pulses were a part of defense they also served another purpose. The small Deception was certain the Nemesis could block his emergency signal. The bot had a clever back up that caused another bot to transmit his emergency signal. Scourge wouldn't even realize it till it was too late.

If any neutral or powerful customer was in the area, they would answer. Swindle knew it was four hundred years in the future, perhaps he would not have any customers that still cared. He did not give in to that hopelessness. He knew in his spark someone would come.


	6. Chapter 6

Optimus noticed backup flying above him as his team rushed back to the shuttle. Ratchet was giving 'cover fire' by pushing the attacking bots into each other with his magnets. From above small Autobot stealth ships fired on the Elite bots.

"Looks like Cheetor blabbed to Goldbug," Ratchet stated. His tone was neither annoyed nor happy to see the help.

"Thank Primus," replied Optimus now glad there secret meeting with Ultra Jazzimus was found out. He then turned to face the fighting. Optimus made his axe handle extend longer before going into the fight. Prowl was right behind him throwing his ninja stars at the Elite soldiers closest to him. His attacks were precise. The blades landed right in the middle of the two bot's chests. They wouldn't damage their sparks, but effectively knock them unconscious.

Optimus fought the next soldiers to come their way. Prowl took the moment to look up and see what Jazzimus was doing. The Ultra bot was ordering some soldiers towards the Autobot Command ship that appeared.

The vessel seemed to wave warped out of nowhere. Instead of firing on the Elite bots it fired on their parked ship. It was a conflict avoiding technique. The Elite would hopefully retreat to the ship and leave. The other option would be to stay and fight, but risk not having a ship to leave in.

Ultra Jazzimus sent some soldiers to retreat to the ship while he made his way through the fighting. He was headed towards Optimus Prime. Prowl observed this action and went to intercept.

"Prowl! Wait!" yelled Ratchet. He knew Optimus did not give any orders for the ninja bot to separate from them. Jazzimus called out some orders. Two organic bots quickly flanked their leader.

Jazzimus knew the Autobots plan could not go through without Optimus Prime. Goldbug trusted the fire truck's leadership skills to turn the future around. All hope for the yellow bot's team rested on Optimus. If Jazzimus were to capture the Prime the Autobots would not go through with their plan. Also, Optimus could be converted. He would work as a diplomat between Autobot's and Elite relations.

Jazzimus was ironically thinking of future diplomacy as his left arm transformed to its spark blaster mode. His hand turned in as the lower part of his arm became a cannon muzzle.

Ratchet's fighting was still defensive. He kept the Elite off of Optimus with his magnets. The old bot did not make any clear attacks. These bots were still Autobots like his standard sensors told him. His med bot sensors started to tell a different story.

His med bot programming gave him text information in the lower corner of his optics. It was information only he could see. It was reading each of the Elite bots as being infected with an unidentifiable virus. Lines of information streamed by as each individual bot in the immediate area was scanned. The old bot multi tasked taking in all the information while protecting himself and Optimus.

--Analyzing Complete

-The test in the bottom corner showed,

--Epidemic Levels

-Wait for a Prime's instructions

-Before taking further action

"Optimus, we need to grab Prowl and get out of here now. I think the 'cavalry' knows how to fight these guys more than we do. And they're infected with something," explained Ratchet as he lifted one of the Elite bots and threw it against two others.

"Great. Head closer to the shuttle and give me cover. I'll grab Prowl," ordered Optimus Prime.

Prowl watched as Jazzimus' left arm became a cannon. The sound of the weapon transforming was a deep roar. It was different than the electronic clicks a Cybertronian made when changing a form. Jazzimus then shot at an Autobot stealth ship. The force knocked it back at least an Earth mile.

"Prowll! Get back to the shuttle!" yelled Optimus. The Prime used the back end of his axe to push off an Elite bot behind him. Optimus noticed Goldbug's Autobots did not come out to physical fight the Elite. It made sense now that Ratchet said they were infected. They may have been contagious in some way. The true reason Autobot's were trying to keep it ship combat was about to be relieved.

Jazzimus knew Prowl's intent was to keep him away from Optimus. With a hand gesture the Ultra directed the two organic bots to attack Prowl. The smaller of the two had a metal pack on his back along with pouches along his waist. He reached into a hip pouch and threw smoke bombs at Prowl. The bombs did not go off with the desired result.

"You fool! We're in space! Those aren't going to work!" The smaller organic bot's partner complained. The yelling organic's form looked as thought it would be a dinosaur of some form in beast mode. The larger organic carried himself like he had been trained to be a cyber ninja.

-------------

"I'm so soooo sorry," Bulkhead said, his expreeesion of guilt apologized even more, "I trusted you! When Jazz called... Prowl suddenly doubted you, and-"

"I know. I know," Goldbug replied in a cold monotone voice. They were the first words he finally spoke to Bulkhead after brooding in silence. He then stood from the command chair and headed out of the bridge. Bulkhead followed though he was not told to do so. Before leaving the bridge Goldbug turned to Cheetor.

"Cheetor, handle the two organic bots while I get the others out of there," commanded Goldbug.

"Easier said than done," replied Cheetor. he recognized the two organic bots as his former friends.

"I can help!" offered Bulkhead. The look of guilt was still in the big bot's optics.

"No, I have to make sure the whole 'old team' survives. I have to send you all back," Goldbug said as he headed to the side bay. He and Cheetor went over to strange armors that hung beside that exit. The two speed bots were put on the armor over their chest plates. The dark red armor had a circular hole in the center of the front and back.

At first Bulkhead thought the armor was odd because it did not protect a bot's vital spark. Before Cheetor went out to bay door he powered up his armor. The holes in it were now filled with a blue force field that matched the bot's optics color.

"Its okay, I'm not mad at you," spoke Goldbug to Bulkhead. He then powered up his own armor and went out the side door.

"Shouldn't you get more bots to go with you?" asked Bulkhead. Goldbug shook his head.

"We may not have a proper command ship, but we have an impressive fleet of stealth ships," Goldbug Prime smirked slightly with the statement.

"So.... what's the plan?" asked Cheetor.

"Go out first and engage the organic bots, lead the fight out to behind our ship. Separate them as much as you can from the others. I'll be fighting Jazzimus so Prowl and Optimus can get to the shuttle," explained Goldbug. Cheetor nodded confirming hte plan and then went out the side bay door. Goldbug watched him dodge a few shots from basic blasters. The yellow Prime soon followed.

"Get back to the shuttle, he's after you!" Prowl yelled to Optimus. He pulled out his last two ninja stars as the organic bots approached him. Jazzimus reached behind himself to attach the Ultra hammer to his back. While his upgraded size was much larger than a ninja bot, Jazzimus still had the moves. His energy-chucks dispensed from their leg holders. he then moved towards Optimus.

-----------

"Yo guys!" Cheetor started to taunt the two organic bots, "I see staying with the Elite didn't improve your faceplates much!"

"HEY! Why don't you come closer and say that!" the rat bot stopped his charge on Prowl to yell back at Cheetor. The organic dino bot stayed focused on Prowl. He unsheathed two swords that could be described as electrified katanas.

Prowl held his last two stars and used them to block the dino bot's katana swings. The Autobot ninja could over hear insults the rat bot and Cheetor were yelling at each other. He then focused on Optimus's predicament while blocking the dino bot's attacks.

-------------

Optimus prepared to block a nunchuck attack with the staff handle of his axe. The fire truck would block and then swing. Jazzimus knew this and would prepare for it accordingly.

Before Jazzimus and Optimus could engage in combat, Goldbug came up behind the Ultra bot. Optimus had seen a blur of yellow. Jazzimus' sensors had picked up the interloper. The Ultra bot turned to face the smaller bot. Jazzimus turned with his sides facing Goldbug and Optimus. On his left side he swung his nunchucks at the yellow blur. At his right his nunchucks came in contact with the handle of Optimus' axe.

-----------

"I don't know why you're even trying to keep up!" laughed Cheetor, "You could never keep up, could you Rattrap?" the cat bot teased the rat bot. Cheetor was luring Rattrap away from his partner.

"Why! I'll show you!" yelled the Elite bot as he reached back in his pack. Rattrap pulled out a strange sticky bomb and tossed it at Cheetor. The cat bot dodged it, only for it to stick to a nearby asteroid. In an instant the asteroid exploded, imbedding shrapnel in Cheetor's back. He hissed at the pain while Rattrap already had a second bomb in his hand. Cheetor had a plan and changed to animal mode.

---------

Prowl was able to block the dino bot's every swing. The organic bot's moves were basic ninja weapon combat moves. He hoped that meant Jazzimus had ordered this bot not to hurt him, just distract him. The Autobot ninja could also tell this bot was young. Under fifty years, which was young for a cybertronian. Prowl now knew the Elite bot's 'friend' was supposed to be fighting along side this young ninja. Young bots in fighting would usually be paired up by their leader. It was the two processors work better than one philosophy.

As Prowl dodged a few more sword swings he read the young bot more. Prowl was not a young bot like Bulkhead or that Bee once was. He remembered when he was first assigned to Optimus' team. The boss bot would always pair him up with Bee or Bulkhead. It was frustrating, but he realized it was not because Optimus assumed he was a young bot.

The experienced ninja could tell the dino bot was frustrated with being paired up with his partner. Prowl could tell this from the fact the bot did not yell at his partner when the rat bot left. Prowl deduced the dino bot was not any older than his partner or Cheetor. He felt he was superior to them because of his maturity. Prowl thought up a way to exploit this weakness.

-------

Optimus saw Goldbug's hands change to the familiar stinger weapons. The stingers were now black in color. They also were longer and thinner. The long hand stingers blocked a nunchuck swing while Optimus pulled back his axe to swing it again.

"Optimus! Prowl! Go back to the shuttle, that's an order!" Goldbug Prime commanded. With great agility for his size, Jazzimus ducked down. Goldbug in turned had to dodge Optiimus' axe swing that was now headed for him. The yellow bot backed up with help from his heel jets to avoid the blow.

"Don't listen to him Optimus," Jazzimus spoke as he stood. He had his nunchucks ready for another attack, "I am the real leader. I have all the Autobot's interests in mind."

"Oh man, not that old thing again," Goldbug complained. He then turned his attention on Optimus and Prowl, "I said get out of here!"

------------

Prowl was moving back to the shuttle slowly while fighting the dino bot. The young bot kept swinging his simple katana moves while Prowl blocked easily. The dino ninja growled and then swiftly moved to Prowl's side. In the move the Elite ninja combined the handles of his two katanas into one bo staff. In another fast move he went to swing the weapon at Prowl's side. Prowl quickly used his jets to move forward and avoid the attack.

The younger ninja was proving to have some skill. In a moment his bo weapon was split to two again. He swung both his swords at the older ninja, only for them to be dodged again. As Prowl dodged he saw the image of the dino bot dissipate. Prowl had no time to be surprised by the detail of the hologram as he was attacked from behind with a powerful kick.

-------------

Despite some of the damage Cheetor took, he still taunted his adversary. To Rattrap and Cheetor it didn't feel like they were actually fighting. It felt like they were having a friendly sparing like they used to.

Now in animal mode, Cheetor ran and hopped between chunks of space debris. While Elite bots did not have any training for being in animal mode in space, Cheetor did. One of the lessons Ironhide made sure the organic bot knew was to not have a weakness. Animal mode in space was seen as a weakness so Cheetor worked to change that.

Rattrap had no training in such. However, his natural reaction when one bot went to animal mode was to go to that mode as well. His animal mode looked like a large grey rat. He still had his mustard yellow metal backpack of bombs still resting on his back.

"HEY! Don't run away from his fight!" complained Rattrap as he struggled to follow behind Cheetor. He realized turning to animal mode may not have been the best idea. In a whirl he changed back into bot mode, only to see Cheetor far ahead of him. Rattrap was far out of sight of the other Elite bots.

Next thing Rattrap knew, Cheetor rushed up to meet HIM! He hit the rat bot across the jaw hard. Rattrap did not expect the hit, and spun backward as he was thrown back by the punch. The rat bot's stabilizers did their best to react in a timely fashion. They set him upright to make another attack at Cheetor. The cat bot dodged a toss of a bomb, only to rush up and grab Rattrap's arms.

"Hey, hey now. We're out of sight and nearly out of signal of the Elite bots. If you wanted to leave them, nows your chance," offered Cheetor. Rattrap almost looked disgusted by Cheetor's proposal.

"Join a bunch of losers! As if! We're the winning side. You need to come back to us," the smaller organic bot growled, "We're taking out Decepticreeps while they're making friends with them!"

"They're not friends with all of them, just a certain group.. its complicated! But comon! You and Dinobot need to be on this side! It's the right side!"

"I don't know... I...," Rattrap's face showed doubt as he stopped struggling. Cheetor released the smaller bot's arms. The rat bot then smirked and reached in his bag for another bomb, "SUCKER!"

----------

Despite Goldbug's commands Optimus stayed to help. The two Autobots attacked at Jazzimus with perfect timing. They made sure not to get in each other's way.

"Just like old times, huh?" Goldbug Prime stated. He then realized that for Optimus he had just been fighting beside him in the past just a day ago, "Er, for me at least."

Optimus Prime was about to answer after taking an axe swing at Jazzimus. Both the bots were surprised one of the Ultra's energy chucks lengthened. The energy rope between it then lashed out at Optimus, tying around him like a lasso. Jazzimus then tugged the end of the nun-chuck still in his hand. Optimus didn't drop his axe, but his arms were now tied down to his sides.

Goldbug rushed in to free the other Prime, only to be hit by a forceful blast. Ultra Jazzimus had activated his spark cannon once again and fired it on Goldbug. Luckily the strange blue energy shield on Goldbug's armor absorbed it. The blue lights in the armor then went out.

The armor was only good for one shot, and then had a very long recharge. However, it was better than someone losing a spark. The smaller yellow bot was thrown back a bit by the blast, but quickly recovered. Ultra Jazzimus pulled Optimus close to him. His eyes then glowed a bright white.

"Everyone, back to the ship. Take down what traitors you can while retreating," Jazzimus then started to back up with a second shot aimed at Goldbug. The yellow Autobot gave a command over his com as well.

"Everyone, retreat. The Elite are syncing and arming their weapons," Goldbug Prime stated calmly. He glared at Jazzimus, await a moment he could get Optimus back.

----------

Prowl had been able noticed the younger ninja's eyes started to glow bright white. Dinobot backed away. Organic bots were not equipped with the spark destroying abilities as the other bots. His only choice when given such a command was just to retreat. He growled, wanting to fight Prowl more.

Dinobot took another swing at the older ninja, just for a large star to block his hit again. Prowl then kicked down at the bot's legs. Dinobot fell, yet gracefully got back onto his feet. if this Ninja bot was not going to let him retreat, the only thing left was to fight while trying to get back to his ship.

----------

As Ratchet started up the shuttle he plotted his next move. With no orders from Optimus or Goldbug he was left to go with his combuster feeling. His processor switched to old programs that rested inside him. They were combat programs from the Great War. They were meant for times when being a med bot was not enough. He started to raise the shuttle off the ground. Ratchet turned the ship towards his target.

Optimus didn't notice the shuttle headed right towards them. t slammed into the unsuspecting Ultra bot. Jazzimus let go of his weapon that held Optimus. He was pushed back by the shuttle and slammed into a nearby rock bed. Optimus overhead Goldbug mutter something to the effect of, 'Are all med bots crazy?!' As if on cue Ratchet chimed in.

"Well, then I'll leave you to here then," Ratchet replied over their coms as he opened the shuttle door. The two Primes headed inside.

"Where is Prowl?" Optimus asked moments before Goldbug was going to ask the same.

"I don't know! I thought he was with you! I saw him fighting some other bot earlier, " explained Ratchet.

"You two take the shuttle back to the ship. I'll find Prowl," Goldbug spoke as his face guard went up again. The Elite were retreating to their ship. Goldbug kept his optics trained to look for Prowl's form. The Elite bots followed blindly on the simple order to return to the ship. A few took shots at where they felt the stealth ships were. They paid no attention to the yellow bot in their mists, "Wheeljack! I need you to get a position on Prowl, now!"

----------------

Cheetor felt a twinge in his systems when his old team was syncing. Rattrap suddenly became silent, not being Rattrap anymore. The cat bot made a pounce for his former friend, doing his best to hold him back. Cheetor's optics offlined a moment as his spark felt a strange pull.

"Oh man, not again!" the cat bot muttered as he felt his systems lock up. Rattrap quickly scurried away from Cheetor's grasp. The organic bot's own spark flashed past images before his optics. He tried to follow Rattrap despite this, but was slowed down. He knew best not to pursue the Elite bot while having an episode. Cheetor sighed as he saw Rattrap leave. He knew everytime his spark acted up he would have to talk to Wheeljack.

----------------

Prowl realized the young ninja was moving the fighting back to the Elite ship. The older ninja decided to back off some. He raised back one of his ninja stars to throw at Dinobot. A hand from behind grabbed Prowl's wrist, preventing him from making the throw. At first he thought the young ninja had one upped him. Yet he then saw Dinobot disappear into the nearby ship. Prowl's wrist was still held as he managed to turn himself around to give a kick in the stomach to the one that held him.

Jazzimus grabbed the leg, now holding the smaller ninja by a wrist and an ankle. The former Autobot's eyes glowed white, "You will be coming with me, old friend."

----------------

"I'm not picking him up anywhere!" Wheeljack muttered over the com. He then heard a strange screeching sound. He recognized it as his com being hacked.

"Still in the safety of the planet base, I see," Perceptor spoke calmly to Wheeljack. He always had an eerie way of speaking to Wheeljack; as though they were just chatting, as though they we still on the same side.

"Humph, I don't see you out and about either," retorted Wheeljack, "Jazz better not be taking Prowl with him. You KNOW Bee's plans are for a better future!"

"Yes, but we have a more suitable plan for a brighter future," Perceptor replied. He could be heard hitting some buttons on his end of the com, "I do miss you. You were an invaluable lab partner. Don't you find it ironic we both became second in command of our present factions?"

"If this is going to be another conversion speech, you're now muted," Wheeljack muttered at he flicked some switches on the panel in front of him.

--------------

The yellow Prime still looked for Prowl. His concentration was broken when his com beeped. As Goldbug was busy retreating back to his ship he heard another steady beep. It was his Decepticon spy. They only communicated in a strange morse code Wheeljack invented. The beeps gave him a time and the next location to meet. After this battle it would be great to see a familiar face, a familiar face that had been through the last four hundred years.

To Goldbug, every member of his old team was important to return to the past. Every one of them had to go back for the future to be fixed. He saw that Jazzimus had already made it to his ship with an unconscious Prowl over his shoulder. Goldbug assumed the worse. Prowl was now at the mercy of the Elite leader


	7. Chapter 7

Optimus Prime found himself going in and out of recharge during the shuttle ride back to the ship. All the bots on his team were in the need of sleep. Back in their time they had spent almost twenty four Earth hours trying to find Bumblebee. The Prime's sleep memories gave him strange visions in the moments he was almost offline. He could see himself in battle. He axe in one hand and the Ultra Hammer in the other.

Bulkhead was still wide awake and seemed a little uneasy. He never knew his friend Bumblebee to have a temper. Yet, the green bot saw the silent rage Goldbug Prime had before leaving to save the rest of the team. Goldbug had stayed quiet earlier when it was just Bulkhead in his presence. He did not blame his green friend for the rest of the team's actions. The yellow Prime had another bot to take out his anger on. Goldbug glared at Optimus. He waited for the next moment the bot was lucid in his half recharging state.

"What were you THINKING?" Goldbug started to discipline Optimus as he would a young recruit, "Didn't it seem obvious something was wrong with him? Why didn't you ask me? Why did you do this behind my back? Now we've lost Prowl to them, and you have no idea what that entails!"

Optimus seemed dazed by the sudden complaint. As he heard the shuttle dock he opened his mouth to answer. Ratchet interrupted and spoke his own complaints. The old medbot had his usually grumpy crossed arms stance

"Well, KID," Ratchet said in a tone to remind Goldbug that four hundred years still didn't make the speed bot older than him, "You could of told us ahead of time about 'Ultra' Jazz."

"I didn't expect him to make contact. I thought it was best for you guys not to know. I didn't want you all to have anything against him," explained Goldbug, "I want to set the past on the right course, not make it worse!"

"You didn't think it was a good thing to warn us that Jazz back in the past may betray the Autobots?" Optimus questioned back. He did not say it with a sarcastic tone. He genuinely wanted an answer.

"He... doesn't betray the Autobots, sort of," Goldbug let out a sigh. He temporarily took a break from yelling at Optimus, "Wheeljack and I came to the conclusion he's suffering from a bad code malfunction."

"He didn't use the Ultra Hammer in battle," Ratchet said with his hand on his chin in thought. He was already coming to the conclusion the yellow Prime was explaining.

"Exactly. He has only part of the Ultra code. The Autobot part," explained Goldbug Prime, "When Cybertron split up into factions the Autobots protected all the leadership codes with a pre code. That way only Autobots can get leadership codes."

"Yeah, except it turned out Megatron didn't need the Ultra code. His 'charisma' was enough," added Ratchet with a grumble. The old bot crossed his arms.

"So what Jazz has is the Autobot 'protection' code that was before the Ultra code?" Bulkhead repeated the information to verify it.

"Yeah. The rest of the code was lost," Goldbug went on to explain, "What we put together is that Magnus was giving it to Jazz to hold, not make him leader. The Decepticons attacked during the download. Jazz was thought to be offline. When he resurfaced the Elite Guard heads told him not to tell anyone about the code. They knew it was an incomplete download. Perceptor convinced Jazz to challenge my leadership. At least that last part is what Wheeljack tells me happened."

"I'm sorry for sending the team to meet Jazz," apologized Optimus. He was really apologetic with his tone. His optics showed that he did take the blame for Prowl's capture, "It wasn't that we didn't trust you, its that we needed to see all sides."

"You don't get it. There is no team anymore, you had no right to send any of them out! I'm running this operation now!" muttered the small yellow prime as their smaller ship stopped, docking on the larger ship. Optimus and Bulkhead shared a confused expression at Goldbug's statment, "I'll have Cheetor guide you all back to your rooms."

Goldbug stormed out as soon as the ship arrived in the main ship's bay. He did not even wait for the ramp to come down. He just made a graceful jump down from the doorway to the metal floor. The gracefulness was helped by his heel and back thrusters. Bulkhead was about to pursue his friend. But, without a word, Optimus held out his hand to Bulkhead to motion him to stop. The red and blue Prime then haphazardly slide down the ramp as it formed and followed after Goldbug Prime.

The yellow Prime did not stop walking but knew Optimus was within audio shot behind him, "I ended the conversation. I don't want to discuss it with you anymore."

"I really did not mean to put the rest of the team in danger. But Ratchet is right, you should have told us," Optimus started with one of his balanced leader speeches. He took blame for what had happened, but still pointing out what Goldbug had done wrong. He tried to smile, uneasily, to cheer the former Bumblebee up, "Look, I accept you're the Primer Prime right now. You know what needs to be done. Please, just tell us what is going on, and what we need to do to help."

"Whats going on? What I need help with?" Goldbug Prime stopped walking. He turned and yelled, sounding still upset at the other Prime despite his attempts to apologize, "I thought when I found the team everything will fall into place and be fixed. Now, I have to get the time travel device from MEGATRON and CRAZY JAZZ has Prowl. Now two important things /I/ need to save the past are in the hands of two bots I did not want to have a one on one conflict with!"

"You sound like you have to do this all by yourself. You do have us, and you do have an Autobot army," sighed Optimus. He wanted to put his hand on Bumblebee's shoulder and try to give encouraging words. He had to remind himself this wasn't Bumblebee anymore, and this was four hundred years in the future, "It must of been hard when we disappeared."

"Yes, yes it was," the yellow Prime muttered.

"What would you and Sari be doing right now?" Optimus changed the conversation in a different direction. Whatever answers he needed on here and now he could get soon after this detour.

"Primus, I thought Wheeljack was the only one good at changing the conversation," Goldbug thought about what time had gone by, if somehow the hours here matched with those in the past. "It would be one am 'now', We've drank a ton of energy drinks that probably weren't even good for humans in the first place."

Goldbug chuckled lightly as he mused at those past thoughts. Sari and him were so young then, long before they even had feelings for each other. Still, his spark ached when he thought about it.

"She's drawing on a whiteboard, all the theories of where you guys could of gone. Maybe to 65 million years in the past, or maybe an alternate dimension where you are leader of the Autobots, but the Autobots are evil. We'll get a little bit sidetracked while drawing up what our evil twins will look like. She says that the evil twin me would definitely have an evil goatee."

Optimus Prime raised an optic brow as he did see Goldbug has a Blurr style goatee. Goldbug noticed the look and gave an expression of confusion. He then pointed his finger at Optimus accusingly.

"Shut up, it looks awesome! And its not evil looking!," Goldbug Prime replied in his younger Bumblebee tone.

"I didn't say anything," Optimus smiled lightly, amused at Goldbug's reaction. Though he acted like an aggressive leader, he was still Bumblebee. It just took a little time for his old self to show.

"Anyhow, its still a game for a few Earth weeks, but then we really get worried. And, we call the Elite Guard," sighed Goldbug, "Thats when everything starts to go from bad to worse. . ."

Ratchet started to approach them cautiously. Goldbug Prime had calmed down from what the old medbot could tell. He didn't want to interrupt, but wanted to make sure that everything was alright. Goldbug recieved a page on his com before anyone could speak. He put his fingers to his helm to listen.

"Goldbug Prime, Sir! I could use Ratchet to help me in the medbay!," Wreck-Gar's voice was heard over Goldbug's communicator. Ratchet silently grimaced as the young bot continued to speak. Wreck-Gar's voice was cheerful despite the subjet matter, "There is a lot of wounded. I need all the help I can get!"

"Ratchet, you can go help Wreck-Gar. Optimus, I need to go meet with someone else anyways. We can talk later," Goldbug Prime said as he looked to Optimus. The red and blue Prime smiled a bit and nodded. He still felt a it awkward, but at least Goldbug was not mad at him anymore. He was sure his old teammate would tell him everything later. At least now they had open communication. Optimus could hold back his curiosity of what had happened years ago for a little bit longer.

As Prowl's optics came online they focused on the ceiling above him. The panels were a standard Autobot make. Prowl received an empty feeling from the room. The sense fit that of an Elite Guard medbay. There was no sign of restraints on the ninja bot. He took the freedom to sit up.

The black Autobot was surprised to find he was in are more personal looking quarters, not a medbay. The quarters did have a sizable amount of medical equipment. That observation rested a bit uneasy with Prowl. There was something else Prowl noticed that gave him mixed feelings. There was a part of the quarters that looked very much like Jazz's room back on Sentinel's ship.

Observing that there wasn't any security devices pointed right at him, Prowl stood from the berth. He rubbed his chassis lightly. It still ached a bit from the fighting. He walked steady and slow to the nearby desk. While there wasn't any alarms sounding at him moving about, he was sure there was still a camera on him.

He looked over what was obviously Jazz's personal desk. Normally the Elite bot had some clutter to his desk. It was never a mess, but there was usually a stylus or a few datapads out of place. However, right now the desk was immaculate. It was cold and without character.

Prowl picked up a holoframe that rested on the far left corner of the desk. The room was so quiet he could hear the gears in his knuckles as his servo gripped the frame. The item that showed 3-D photos was basic technology, not much different from human technology of digital photo frames. Prowl pushed a button at the side of the frame, going through the photos.

All of the pictures were dated, starting from present and moved their way back. Prowl went through the images quickly. He did not know how much time he had before someone came to check on him. Part of his ninja training had been to observe quickly. That was just what he was doing now. Most of the images seemed to be at cheerful events and gatherings of some form. Prowl wouldn't classify them as parties though since they seemed a more professional atmosphere.

Prowl then stopped at one interesting picture. It was a patched up Jazz sitting at a medical berth. He had a smile and thumbs up pointed at the camera. There were several other bots in the picture. They all looked happy and were probably friends that had come to visit Jazz in the medbay he was at. There was a red tape deck bot among them. Prowl however, instantly recognized Perceptor. He was a well known as an Elite science bot.

Perceptor was standing the closest to Jazz in the photo. At first Prowl did not find anything strange about that. The science bot probably lent a servo to repair Jazz. However, something felt off. It was just in the way Perceptor was smiling. He put down the frame down calmly as he heard the door to the room open.

Jazzimus had entered the room, the door behind him still open. Prowl took that moment to make a gracefully leap to the ceiling and then fall down behind Jazz. He then went through the closing door behind his former friend. Ultra Jazzimus quickly turned and followed the fleeing ninjabot. Prowl's slender frame darted down the long hall. The few bots he passed were not even ordered to capture him. He just avoided running into them with a quick moments leap to the side of the wall and then over them.

Jazzimus pursued with less finesse but still had the speed of a ninja bot. Prowl could flip and maneuver to avoid crashing into various bots in the hall. This gave the bystanders time to move out of the way when Jazzimus came barreling through.

The escaping ninjabot didn't even know what his own plan was. Even if he found an escape ship he did not know how to get back to Goldbug Prime. However, running was better than staying put. This was not the Jazz he knew. Prowl was sure a virus was involved. His assumption was close but not quite right. He did know there was no way to reason with a virus.

Jazzimus turned a corner while in pursuit of Prowl. As he followed, the black ninja bot was no where to be seen. Jazzimus stopped right where he was. This first motion was to look to the ceiling to see if Prowl had propped himself up there. Still, the smaller ninjabot was not in sight.

"Ah, I see you have figured out how to use your holo emitter to clock yourself," Jazzimus slowly moved forward in the hall. His optics scanned the walls, "I always looked up to you for your ingenuity."

The larger ninja bot turned around to rescan the walls he had walked past. He swore he heard a hitch of an engine, "Can you imagine what is was like for me when I first received the news you disappeared? I may have been in the Elite Guard, but I knew you had the potential to surpass me. I wanted to see you succeed."

There was still silence in the hall. Jazzimius knew Prowl could trick his optics, but not his audios. He just had to wait for a noise.

"I'm sorry I jived you to get you here, man," he started to slip into his old Jazz accent, "I needed to see you and tell you what was going down."

Ultra Jazzimus then heard a noise behind him. He quickly turned only to see nothing. Prowl then silently came out of the wall behind the larger ninja. He had his holo make a perfect of the wall's texture.

Prowl kicked low, knocking Jazzimus' legs out from underneath him. In a moment the large ninja was on his back. Prowl quickly stood above him, straddling his chassis with his legs. His ninja stars were pointed at Jazzimus' visor. The sharp points touched it's glass.

"How do i get off this ship?" Prowl demanded. Jazzimus could tell his old friend's servos were shaking ever so slightly.

"You wouldn't hurt me," Jazzimus spoke out loud his observation. He spoke in a soothing tone as though Prowl was the crazy one, and he just wanted to calm his friend down, "Trust me."

"Trust you? You've betrayed the Autobots. Your actions have proved to me Bumblebee is the real leader, no matter how irresponsible he is," Prowl retorted, his ninja stars still at Jazz's visor.

"No, my faction is still the true Autobots," Ultra Jazzimus replied calmly, "But that isn't what is urgent for you to understand."

The fact virus's can't be reasoned with was in the back of Prowl's processor. Despite that knowledge he backed up his weapons from Jazzimus. The larger ninja bot got up without incident. Once free, Jazzimus did not retaliate and attack Prowl.

"Let's Chill and have a talk then," Jazzimus smiled at Prowl. The smaller ninja bot did not know what to make of Jazz's friendly tone. It was as if they had not just been fighting. Prowl knew he was going to regret this, but he felt a pull to stay.

"So, why did we have to meet in person?" asked Goldbug as he sat down beside his friend. Their meeting place was a dead rock of space clutter. Goldbug had a small shuttle parked to the side. Waspinator sighed heavily as his friend joined him.

"Wazpinator not zzure talking over com is not zzafe anymore," the organic bot explained. Goldbug Prime interrupted, expecting the usual.

"Ah, I'll get Blaster to change the frequency of the line again," The Prime replied, "We have the key now. No worries."

"The key," Waspinator's optics widened for a moment, "Wazpinator know there iz zzzomething more going on. Wazpinator meet Beebot in person not just because of com frequency. Wazpinator pick up strange signal going to Deceptijerkz."

Goldbug raised an optic brow but did not interrupt this time.

"Wazpinator think ZZhock-bot contacted one of the Deceptijerkz. Wazpinator doez not know which one, but knowzz itz not Megatron." the organic bot explained.

"Shockwave? So he's not dead. This could be very bad. But where has he been hiding all these years? Why not contact Megatron?" the yellow bot rubbed his chin in thought. Waspinator shrugged and repeated himself.

"All Wazpinator knowzz Shock-bot contacted someone on Decepticon'z ship. Megatron still think ZZhock-bot dead," The organic bot added.

"Interesting... if it is Shockwave its not coincidence he's made contact the same day we got the key," Goldbug faded off as if going tinto deep thought. Waspinator watched his friend a moment, partly amused by Goldbug's expression, the other part concerned with what was on his processor, "Of course, all those strange rumors are going to start up again if word gets out."

"Beebot.. does not believe Shock-Bot be one of the original thirtreen, like those stories?" Waspinator questioned. Goldbug Prime let out a a short scoffing laugh.

"Hardly! Even if that story was true he would NOT be one of them. I'm just wondering what he's up to. His Decepticon contact must have informed him we have they key. We won't only having Megs after us, but Shockwave as well. And Shocks a shapeshifter, you and I both know what he's capible of," Goldbug then muttered. Waspinator let out a low growl as well.

"If Wazpinator find him firzt he'll be in thirteen piecezzz!" the organic snarled in anger.

"Its okay Wasp," Goldbug put an arm around the green bot. His tone was soothing, "We'll handle this if he's stupid enough to show his faceplate."

"Yes, yes, Wazp know he and Beebot can handle Shock-bot," Waspinator replied with an angry buzz, "Wazp glad Beebot got key. Nowz everyhting can go back to normalz."

Goldbug Prime nodded and smiled a bit, only for it to fade.

"Yeah, normal," he sighed lowly. The Prime took his arm off his friend and stayed silent. Waspinator titled his head curiously.

"What doez Beebot find wrong with that?" Waspinator asked concernedly. He leaned closer to Goldbug, putting his servo on his shoulder. The Prime sighed again.

"When everything goez 'normal' you won't be on the Autobot side anymore," Goldbug spoke his concern. Waspinator smiled, though his tone was sad.

"Wazpinator knowz. Wazpinator think he will still rejoin Autobotz someday in better future. Even if not, Wazpinator still be hero in well of Allsparkz," the organic robot explained. Goldbug smiled, glad his friend accepted it more than he ever would.

"Yes, thats true," the yellow bot replied, though he didn't believe his own words. He wanted Wasp to keep his positive outlook. Waspinator's tone turned more cheerful.

"Beebot will fix everythingz!"

"I wanted us to have a quiet evening," Jazzimus said to break the silence. Prowl looked up at the formally white ninja bot. Jazzimus' navy blue color seemed to suit him, but at the same time felt constricting. There was sometimes a lot behind a chassis color change. Prowl took that into consideration while evaluating everything going on around him. They were back in Jazz's room, and Prowl did not know if this was a good or bad thing.

"Why are you doing this?" Prowl asked simply. He could have been more specific with the question but he wanted to see where Jazz would take it.

"Because we have to take out the Decepticons, you know?" Ultra Jazzimus replied just as easily. He talked smooth like his normal self. Casually he walked over to the energon dispenser and received two cubes. Jazzimus then handed Prowl one as though they were still good friends. Instead of sitting beside Prowl, Jazzimus stood, leaned up against the wall.

"But those were not Decepticons you were fighting. They were your fellow Autobots," Prowl replied as he held his glass of energon but did not sip. Jazzimus was focused on his own cube, turning it slightly in his hand as he spoke.

"Bumblebee chose his side the day he aligned with Starscream," Ultra Jazzimus replied. He then took a sip of energon and sat down across from Prowl. The black ninja bot just watched his former friend a moment. He wondered what was going on through Jazz's processor.

"Perhaps he thought it was the only option he had to protect the Autobots following him," replied Prowl softly. It was probably agitating the situation by still calling them Autobots when Jazzimus clearly didn't see them as such. He still kept his voice as monotone as possible. Prowl did not wan tot sound as though he was accusing Jazz of being the thing Bee needed protection from.

"It was a poor choice," Jazzimus' optics narrowed a moment, "You can't possibly understand."

"I want to understand," Prowl said in return, not with his usual serious tone. It was the tone used between them as friends, "Jazz, something has happened to you. I want to help you fix it."

Prowl was surprised but didn't flinch when Jazzimus suddenly stood. It was a quick harsh movement, as though not even Jazzimus planned to stand.

"I don't know man," Jazzimus muttered as he looked down at Prowl, "Wouldn't it be ironic though, if you were the one all along."

Prowl raised an optic brow. he did not know what Jazz was referring to. However, he also thought it wasn't smart to ask. Jazzimus still started down at him. The larger ninja's optics glowed brightly, almost white.

Prowl's training and intuition picked up on Jazzimus' body language. His servos and peds were tense. He was about to attack Prowl, and Prowl knew it.

Prowl quickly stood before Jazzimus knocked the table between them aside. Prowl took a leap back, then taking a fighting stance. Jazzimus leapt at Prowl, his intent being to pin him against the wall. The smaller ninja bot was quickly though, and dodged moving around quickly to be behind Jazzimus.

"I thought you wanted to have a quiet evening," quiped Prowl. Jazzimus turned and grabbed at Prowl again. The darker ninja bot quickly dodged again.

"If you want to understand then hold still bro," Ultra Jazzimus commanded. Prowl raised an optic brow but still avoided Jazzimus' attacks.

"And why does me, 'understanding' require a physical conflict?" Prowl questioned in a rather even tone despite being in mid dodge once again. After the last grab Jazzimus stopped. He stood still, as then did Prowl. The black ninja bot still held his fighting position just in case. He knew his friend was malfunctioning, he just didn't know how.

"You're right," Ultra Jazzimus spoke softly. It was though he was far away in thought, "You said you wanted to understand."

Prowl's servos relaxed a moment. Jazz then took that moment to place his hand under his friend's chin. Once again, Prowl didn't flinch, but he was only confused. At least now Jazzimus was not attacking.

"Jazz, I-" Prowl started, only to have his friend pull him forward. Jazzimus was leaned down so that their chests touched, the red Autobot symbol rested against Jazz's white counterpart. Prowl did not know what to make of this action. It was not an attack, but it felt like one to his systems. He fought down the urge to fight though. He could not see why his processors thought another attack was coming. Prowl started to speak again, "Jazz-"

Ultra Jazzimus' white symbol bubbled in several places. It was as though it was liquid, not paint. Even the three line wings on either side of the emblem showed motion. Prowl's optics widened as some of the white moved onto his chassis, moving towards his red symbol. He went to pull back but Ultra Jazzimus held Prowl firmly.

As the white engulfed Prowl's red symbol, a flashing of coding came across his optics. Warnings went off as something was being rewritten in his systems.

"It only hurts a moment."

"Its so nice to be working with you again!" smiled Wreck-Gar at Ratchet. The old medbot huffed as he entered the medbay. It was quite full from the last fight. The ship had been a scout ship, so its medbay was small. Those with minor wounds sat against the walls and waited while talking to fellow patients. Wreck-Gar still beamed a smile when he spoke, "I got the two in the worstest condition stabilized before you got here."

Ratchet tried not to visibly grimace at Wreck-Gar's bad grammar as he looked over the medbay. He could easily spot the two the orange bot had mentioned. They were the only two bots on the medbay berths. Optimus appeared at the doorway since Ratchet wanted him here. He waited there a moment, unsure if he was interrupting anything. The Prime then gave Ratchet a wave so the medbot knew he was there. The older bot nodded and looked over to the two critical bots.

Ratchet's optics lit up a bit, almost impressed at how well of a patch job Wreck-Gar had done. Many 'learn on their own' medbots would just patch up easy to see damage. Ratchet could tell that the former garbage bot had mended deep into the underwires and in one case to the framework itself. Wreck-Gar supposed attention to detail surprised the old medbot.

"Wreck-Gar!" Ratchet called, the orange bot was busy with another patient, it was minor scratches he was taking care of. Wreck-Gar looked up and smiled as Ratchet praised him, "Good job kid."

The red and blue Prime saw a familiar face in the medbay. It was Cheetor, though he didn't look that damaged. He approached the younger bot to say hello. Optimus also felt he had to apologize for requesting the shuttle earlier. He stopped though, when he heard Cheetor was having a conversation over his com.

"I had another 'episode' today in battle. Right with Rattrap. I just started having strange memory flashes, and froze up," Cheetor muttered softly over his com.

"There is speculation that the Elite take sparks of fallen enemies to make new bots with," Wheeljack's voice was heard in reply over the com, "Sparks can carry residual memories outside of what just processors save. You probably remember a previous bot you were. Your processors become confused because it doesn't contain the same back uped memories. It isn't that uncommon. Other former Elites in our ranks have had it too. If that is the case its best to have Wreck-Gar align your procceors and spark. It would erase the spark memories."

"But I don't think I want to erase them... not yet," Cheetor muttered back. Optimus backed up from the young bot before he could notice him accidently overhearing.

Optimus headed over to the old medbot knowing why Ratchet wanted him here. He came over to the medbot and tried to discreetly hand him the key. Optimus stood by Ratchet just in case it would be needed. The old medbot muttered something. Though he rather let bots heal on their own, Goldbug's army was small. He needed healthy troops as soon as possible.

Ratchet put the key into chest opening right below the patient's spark chamber. Ratchet gave it a turn and it did nothing. It even lacked its normal glow. Ratchet turned it again and still nothing. Optimus' optics widened a moment as he noticed. With the big deal Goldbug made about having the key, this was not good. The old bot gave it one more turn. There was still no power.

"The key is not working."


End file.
